


Blackbird

by MadameCissy



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F, Jemily - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-08-27
Packaged: 2018-01-11 15:43:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 27,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1174842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameCissy/pseuds/MadameCissy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"No more lies," JJ said as she rested her head against her husband's shoulder. But when her blue eyes met Emily's brown she knew that this would never really be true.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

_Say something, I'm giving up on you_  
 _I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you_  
 _Anywhere I would've followed you_  
 _Say something, I'm giving up on you_

_~A Great Big World – I'm Giving Up On You_

~()~

She stepped out into the cool evening air and her lungs eagerly sucked in the fresh air. The music and the voices coming from inside the bar could still be heard in the alley. Her back slumped against the wall and she felt the cold creep through her jacket into her bones. Her eyes fluttered shut. Inside her chest her heart seemed to slowly crumble into pieces so small she wasn't sure she could ever fit them back together again. Coming back here brought back so much more than just the memories.

Why did she do this to herself every single time?

Emily Prentiss turned slightly to look back at the door through which she had left the bar. Inside lay the reason she had escaped off into the night for a moment of peace. She needed the silence. As much as she loved the people inside the bar, being around them suffocated her at the same time. It was almost as if there was a weight resting on her shoulders, slowly crushing her.

There weren't many places where she could find silence. Her life wasn't exactly the kind of place that knew quiet moments. Working for Interpol had changed a lot for her, most of all the way she lived her life. It had changed the way she viewed herself and the world but most of all it had given her an escape from something she knew would destroy her eventually.

The creaking of the door announced someone else had left the bar. Emily's breath hitched as the sound of soft footsteps found its way into the alley and she kept her eyes fixed on her feet. From the corner of her eye she saw the shadow move before a slender figure appeared from the shadows. In the dim light of the streetlamp JJ's features didn't look as tired and broken.

"Hi," she said softly as she stood next to Emily, her own back resting against the alley wall too.

Emily didn't look up immediately. "Hey."

JJ huddled a little deeper into her jacket. "I knew I'd find you here."

Emily couldn't help but smile as she shot JJ a sideways glance. "We seem to have that habit," she said. "We always find each other somewhere."

JJ managed to catch and hold Emily's gaze. "I know."

"Jayj…."

JJ just shook her head as she took a step closer to Emily. Her fingers grazed across the brunette's abdomen and the tip of her tongue wet her bottom lip as she pushed Emily further into the shadows. If anyone left the bar now they wouldn't be able to see them unless they walked down the alley. Their gazes locked and Emily watched as JJ's eyes darkened several shades, suddenly reflecting something she hadn't seen for so long.

Emily was aware of the position they were in. Inside the bar JJ's husband was talking to their friends. Friends who had become like family, their family. They didn't know. They would never know. Not even now, after all of this, after what had brought them to this moment, would they know.

Emily's hand shot down to cover JJ's wrist when she felt nimble fingers play with the hem of her shirt.

"Don't," she breathed, feeling slightly intoxicated by the scent of JJ's hair as the blonde rested her head against her shoulder. Emily relaxed into JJ's body, her fingers slowly slipping away from her wrist as JJ's arm snuck around her waist. "Not after what you've just been through, JJ."

"I've missed you."

JJ's words almost got lost into the chilling wind that whipped around their faces and Emily's arms protectively closed around the younger woman's back, pulling her closer. She buried her face in JJ's blonde locks. She smelt of spring scented shampoo. It was a smell that would stay with her for as long as time allowed it.

"I know," she sighed, fighting back the bitter tears that were now burning behind her eyes. "I've missed you too."

JJ lifted her head up enough so that she could look into Emily's eyes. Moments like this were rare. It had been too long. Too long since she'd looked at her, held her, too long since she had seen her eyes and felt the way she did right now. There would never be a safer place. Days had turned into weeks and weeks had faded into months.

"Are you sure you can't stay?" she repeated the question she'd asked earlier in the bar.

Emily shook her head. "I'm due back in London the day after tomorrow, Jennifer." She let her fingers run through the other woman's hair. She'd forgotten how beautiful such a simple touch could be. "I really wish I could stay longer."

JJ rose to the tip of her toes and her lips brushed softly against Emily's. Her heart had been yearning for this moment since she laid eyes on the brunette and now that she was finally in her arms, she felt at home. Her eyes fell shut when she felt Emily lean into the kiss and the grip around her back tightened as Emily pulled her closer, pulling firmly at the jacket JJ was wearing.

When they parted they were both hurting.

"Stay," JJ breathed against Emily's cheeks. She felt the tears that slid across the other woman's face. This was the woman who had changed her life and who had saved her life. "Please. Stay."

Emily swallowed hard but the lump in her throat didn't move. Her voice sounded broken and her eyes found JJ's. She had come so close to losing her tonight, to losing her forever. But she knew she would have to lose her all over again. "I can't."

"Why do we keep doing this?" JJ wondered softly. "Why do we live our lives like this? These stolen moments…" She hesitated. "I can't keep living like this, Emily."

"I know. But we don't have a choice." Emily cupped JJ's cheek and smiled gently as the feel of the other woman's hand being pressed against her stomach. She could feel the shape of JJ's wedding ring even through the fabric of her shirt and it left her hurting inside 

"This is what we promised each other." Emily's voice was even. The memory still lay fresh in her mind although it felt like a lifetime ago. Paris had changed both their lives in ways neither of them could ever quite put into words. "This is what we said we would have. Each other, whenever time allows it."

JJ's blue eyes slowly trailed up. "But what if I want more than what time offers us?"

Emily almost couldn't hear her; JJ's voice was so soft. The music coming from the bar reminded her that they weren't alone. The pain in her chest only grew stronger as JJ's words sank in. She had dreaded ever hearing them because she knew what her answer would be. She had always known and she knew JJ knew it too. They would always come back to this moment and eventually they would always walk away from it too.

"You know what that means," she whispered. Her fingers ghosted across JJ's forearm, gently pulling at the leather of her jacket. "You know what you'd have to give up." The corners of her lips curled up into a sad smile. "What we would both have to give up."

JJ looked down. "I know."

"Then you know the answer to your own question," Emily answered as she let a strand of JJ's blonde hair run through her fingers. She hoped she could remember this moment for as long as possible. It seemed to be harder every single time.

"You've got to leave, right?" JJ sensed the change in the other woman's body language. She didn't let go. She was reluctant to step away, to let Emily break free from her arms. She wasn't ready. Not after all of this, not after tonight. Not after she had come to her rescue, had been the one to find her. She wasn't ready to see her leave again. Everything had changed and she wasn't sure if she could face those changes without her.

Emily's voice was thick with tears. "My plane leaves in just under two hours." She looked down, at her own hands holding JJ's. "I have to go."

JJ's breath chocked in the back of her throat. "Why does this hurt more every single time?"

"Because every time we realise there may not be a next time."

"Will there be a next time?"

The echo of hope in JJ's voice broke Emily's heart, ripped it to pieces. "I don't know."

Her honesty was the most heart-breaking thing. Not the fact she would have to watch her walk out of her life all over again. That wasn't the most brutal part. The most brutal part was not knowing if she would see her again. This was how they had chosen to live their lives. From moment to moment. This was what they had promised each other. It was better this way.

They spoke on the phone, once a week, at a dedicated time and in a dedicated place. Nobody knew. Nobody would ever know. The calls were below the radar and in those few minutes they would sometimes only listen to the other person breathing. It created a closeness not even distance could destroy. The sound of a single breath, the memory of a single heartbeat, could overcome even the toughest test of time.

"I don't want to let you go," JJ admitted. She was somewhat surprised by her own confession. She needed Emily more than ever right in this moment. "Not after this, not now. Not tonight, not ever again."

Emily carefully placed a kiss on JJ's jaw, her eyes blinded by her own tears. "You have to."

JJ reluctantly stepped away from Emily, her arms falling down her side. The aching of letting her walk away, the emptiness, washed over her as Emily pushed herself away from the wall and walked past JJ into the alleyway, towards the street. She turned around, her face lit by the streetlamp, and their eyes found each other. Loneliness reflected in both their faces.

Emily's voice was only a whisper, so faint that the words almost got lost in the wind. "I love you, Jennifer."

JJ brushed the tears off her cheeks as she watched Emily walk away. "I love you too, Emily."

She looked on as Emily walked out of her life all over again. Until the next time their paths crossed. Until the next moment they would find each other, if only for a few moments.

She just didn't know when this was going to be.


	2. Chapter 2

6 months later

She watched as the unsub was led out of the house, his hands cuffed behind his back. Hollow eyes looked straight ahead into the night, his face lit up by the haunting reflection of blue and red flashing lights. It was yet another face of evil, as some would say. A broken mind, destroyed by childhood demons and whispering voices, that had created a living hell in the middle of a quiet Denver suburb.

JJ averted her eyes as he was led past her. She no longer felt cold shivers rip down her spine. Too often had she stared into the faces of the lost souls she hunted. His was no different from many of the others she had seen. In a little while he would just become a statistic, just another number on a list of serial killers in the USA. His name would be added to the list already containing Bundy, Gacy and the Zodiac. Some people would only remember him when they checked the statistics but most would forget about him eventually.

She glanced at her watch. It was a quarter to ten. She doubted they would fly back to D.C tonight. It looked like she would be spending another night in her Denver hotel room. When she looked back up she noticed a pair of dark eyes looking in her direction and quickly produced a smile before Blake could pierce through her mask.

JJ had noticed they were watching her. They think she didn't know but she did. She saw the occasional worried glances, the way they shared a look when they thought she couldn't see. They were still trying to fit the pieces together and perhaps they expected her mask to eventually fall off. Now that they knew there was a mask, a mask that hid a larger part of herself than they could even begin to imagine, she knew they tried to peer behind it.

"You ok?"

She was roused out of her musings by Blake's voice and blinked to find the brunette standing at her side. She nodded.

"Yeah." She briefly fumbled with her blonde ponytail. "I was just thinking I missed Henry's bedtime call."

"You'll see him tomorrow," Blake said with a smile and patted JJ on her shoulder before walking off towards Hotch.

JJ followed the linguist with her eyes. Blake was the newest member of the team and they had the least history. It made working with her easier because unlike the others, she didn't have a preconception of her, the memory of the JJ she was before she was reassigned. Blake only knew who she was when she came back.

She took off her bullet proof vest and crossed the street to one of the bureau,s standard issue black SUV's. She there the vest into the trunk and looked around. Morgan and Reid walked towards her, both with their vests in their hand. Rossi, Hotch and Blake were still talking to the detective that had asked for their help in this cases and Hotch shook his hand before turning away.

"You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to the next four days," Morgan said as he reached the SUV and tossed his vest into the trunk. His words reminded JJ that they were not on call for the next few days and that she would get to spend some precious time at home.

"Do you have any plans?" Reid wanted to know.

"Watch a game, have some sweet time with my honey," Morgan answered, a glint in his eye. He punched Reid against his shoulder. "How about you, pretty boy?"

"I've been meaning to read The Psychopathology Of Everyday Life by Sigmund Freud for some time," Reid replied, his face deadly serious. His answer brought a smile to Morgan's face. "Now seems as good a time as any."

"What are you going to do, JJ?" Morgan's eyes fixed on the blonde profiler.

"Take Henry to the park, get a hair cut," she smiled and opened the passenger door. "You know, things normal people do."

Her life was anything but normal. It hadn't been normal for some time and she doubted it would ever be normal again. Her job wasn't your standard Monday to Friday 9-5 job. She spent her days surrounded by the depravity and sickness of mankind. But it wasn't just the BAU that made her life different. Her experiences away from the unit had changed her life. She had lost more than words could ever describe.

The three profilers climbed into the SUV. Morgan got behind the wheel, JJ took the passenger side and Reid got in the back. They waited until Rossi, Hotch and Blake got into the second vehicle and they drove off into the Denver night, leaving a scene of police cars and ghostly lights behind.

JJ stared out of the window as they drove. They had been in Denver for three days and until a few hours ago it had looked like they would have been here for a few days longer. Their unsub was a male in his late thirties with a hatred towards women, sparked by his mothers neglect and her favouriting his sister. It had created an obsession where he killed women who had brothers who were less successful than they were.

It wasn't until she and Reid talked to a retired school teacher that she remembered one of her students being an underachiever compared to his younger sister. She described a family situation that was almost identical to their profile and it had finally given them a name. Just like many of their other cases, it had created a whirlwind of events and now, mere hours since that meeting, the unsub was in custody. But there would always be another one. By the time they'd get back to the BAU there wouldn't be just one file waiting for them, there would be half a dozen. Evil never slept and it seemed like it never stopped either.

The drive back to their hotel was a quiet one. Morgan had switched on the radio but nobody spoke, choosing instead to focus on the night time images of Denver flashing by outside their window. It was the contemplation they all experienced and needed after another case had come to an end. It allowed their minds to comprehend what had happened, to fit the final pieces together and to slowly begin to let go of some of the horrific images they had seen.

JJ swallowed hard. It was in these moments she didn't just experience the crime scene images all over again. They were always blurred, laced with echoes from a time where it was her own voice that cried out in pain and terror. In some moments, when her guard came down, she would feel that pain again. She had promised herself she wouldn't let the demons get to her but there were there, inside of her. Ever since that time Nietzsche's quote about looking into the abyss and the abyss looking into you, had never felt more true.

It didn't feel like six months. It felt like twelve and other days it felt like yesterday. The wounds had healed and the bruised had long since faded, but the scars remained. It had changed her. It changed the way she looked at the world and at herself. It had given new meaning to the word 'honesty' but at the same time it had only created a bigger lie.

She absentmindedly fingered the wedding band she wore on her left hand. The metal felt cold against her fingertips. Most of the time she didn't even realise she was wearing it but it was in moments like this, when she simply touched it, that she was reminded it was still there.

When they eventually arrived back at the hotel they went their separate ways after saying goodnight in the lobby and Hotch telling them they'd be leaving at eight the next morning. JJ got into one of the elevators with Blake and Rossi whilst the rest of the team rode the other elevator.

"What I don't understand is how his wife didn't know what he was doing?" Blake wondered out loud. She rubbed the back of her head.

"People often see what they want to see," Rossi answered. "We don't expect those we love to keeps secrets from us, especially not when they are gruesome secrets." There was a pause. "I think deep down she knew but admitting it to herself meant that it became real."

JJ didn't answer immediately but when the elevator doors slid open and she stepped outside she turned around. "Or maybe she really didn't know," she said, her eyes briefly meeting theirs. "Sometimes people are just not who they seem to be."

They went their separate ways. Blake's room was just across the hall from hers but Rossi's was six doors down. JJ waited until she was sure both profilers had closed and locked their doors before entering her own room. Her hand instinctively shot down to her gun as the fingers of her other hand searched the wall for the light switch. Darkness was no longer her friend and she made sure that she knew what, if anything, lurked within the shadows.

Now that the room bathed in bright yellow light, JJ walked to the bed. She began unbuttoning her shirt and threw it onto the nearest arm chair before unzipping her pants. The desire to take a shower grew stronger with every passing second and she made her way into the bathroom, switched on the shower and turned to the mirror to look at her own reflection. She saw her own eyes and recognised her own deceit.

She took a quick shower, washed her hair and rinsed the dirt of the day away. The hot water did nothing to erase the feelings of guilt and hurt inside of her and when she stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her body, she heaved a sigh. Her head snapped up when she heard a familiar beeping sound and grabbed her phone, which she had left on the sink. The alarm reminder flashed across her screen and she switched it off before scrolling through her contacts. She hit a familiar number and brought the phone up to her ear.

"Hey," Emily said at the other side of the line and any tension that JJ felt in her muscles slowly slipped away. Emily's voice was soothing.

JJ walked from the bathroom into the sleeping area and sank down on the bed. Tiredness laced her voice. "Hi."

"Where are you?" Emily wanted to know. She'd recognised the lack of sleep in JJ's voice. She knew what it meant. JJ wasn't in D.C.

She always asked that question. In her head she could imagine JJ in that city. She could see her standing by a hotel window looking out over whatever it was she saw. For a few moments they would be looking at the same thing. The sky.

"Denver," JJ answered. "We're leaving for D.C. in the morning."

Emily let out a knowing little hum. "How bad?"

"On a scale of one to Bundy?" JJ groaned as she leant back into the pillows of her comfortable hotel bed. It wasn't exactly home but she'd slept on worse. Her wet hair fell down her shoulders. "The worst. This guy was downright scary and his wife had no idea."

"You ok?"

Emily's question was so simple but somehow it hit JJ like a ton of bricks.

"I will be." She swallowed hard. The lump in her throat was back. "I miss you."

"I know." Emily let out a heavy sigh and turned around to look out over the department she ran at Interpol. It was another late night. Every night here was late but tonight was different from any other. "I can't believe it's been so long, JJ."

"It feels like forever," JJ admitted. Her eyes drifted to the window. She hadn't drawn the curtains completely and she could make out the dark evening sky. It was a cloudy night. There were no stars, she couldn't see the moon. "I wish we had more than these weekly phone calls, Em."

"Me too," Emily said softly. She'd turned away from the large window and crossed her office towards her desk. She sunk down in the comfortable arm chair and rested her elbows on the desk as she cradled her head in her hands. This never got any easier.

For the longest time they didn't speak. The sound of the other's breath created the illusion that they were in the same room, in the same bed, and JJ's eyes fluttered shut, taking her back to the last moment where they had been truly together. It seemed like another life, a life that was party of a fantasy. Now all they had was distance and the weekly phone call.

The sound of Emily's voice had been what kept her going through the torture. It was her safety net, her place to call home. It was Emily she saw when she was almost ready to give up. Emily had been the one to find her, the same way she always found her and it was Emily who had saved her life. It seemed that whenever she found herself lost in the darkness, Emily was the light that would guide her home.

"What are you thinking?" Emily's voice was soft.

JJ's eyes slowly opened. The realisation she was in her hotel room, alone, and that the sound of Emily's breathing was only at the other side of the phone and not in the room, made her ache inside. "You know what I'm thinking."

"I do."

JJ could hear the smile in Emily's voice. "You always do."

"They want me to take some vacation days next month."

JJ sat up with a jolt. "What?!"

"I was thinking about going back to D.C."

Tears had welled up in JJ's eyes and she smiled. She smiled in a way she hadn't smiled for months. "So you're coming home?"

"Yes," Emily whispered. "I'm coming home, Jennifer."

A soft beep announced an interruption in their conversation and JJ checked her phone. Her smile faltered a little. "Em, it's Will. I have to go."

"I know," Emily said quietly. "Not long now."

"I love you." The words rolled off her lips in a whisper.

"I love you too."

The call ended with Emily hanging up and JJ's call switching to Will. She pulled her knees up to her chest and ran her fingers through her hair. Her eyes longingly fixed on the empty space in her bed. It didn't matter where she went. She was lonely everywhere.

"Hey," she said. Her profiler mask effortlessly slipped back in place when she heard Will's voice. "How's Henry?"


	3. Chapter 3

Having a weekend off was the kind of luxury she knew not to get used to. More often than not she spent her Saturday and Sundays working so when JJ walked back into the BAU bullpen on Monday morning she felt refreshed. The sound of her high heels clicking against the lino flooring drew the attention of the other members of the team sitting at their desks and she briefly met Blake's eyes across the length of the room.

"Morning," the brunette greeted as JJ slipped into her seat and put down her coffee.

JJ looked up, a firm smile in place. "Good morning. Did you enjoy your weekend?"

"You kidding me? A whole weekend alone, reading and listening to music and cooking some great food?" Blake asked. "I actually resented having to come in today."

"I know that feeling," JJ grinned. "Henry actually asked me if I was going to go away again. I don't think he knew what hit him to have me at home all weekend."

Blake leant back in her chair. Her black blazer fell back and revealed a simple white yet elegant shirt. She'd bound her hair in a ponytail, something she didn't often do when they were spending time at their desks. Her dark eyes were trained on JJ.

"You think he struggles with you being away so much?"

"Yes and no," JJ answered. Not a day went by where she didn't question herself about what she did for a living and if her long hours impacted on her son. "I think he and Will have a great little routine and they make it work." She pulled a face. "I think it's Will who struggles more than Henry, to be honest."

Blake continued to watch JJ. It was a habit she had formed after JJ's kidnapping. Being the newest member of the team meant she had a different way of looking at things. Although she and JJ had built up a good relationship, she wasn't as close to her as the rest of the team was. It allowed her to see things differently, to see JJ differently, and something was definitely different.

She hadn't expected JJ to be the same person she was before. The fact that she no longer had to lie and keep secrets was one of the many things that had changed and she could only imagine the freedom JJ experienced once that burden fell away. But JJ had changed in many others ways too. In some ways Blake believed she had become quieter, almost more withdrawn. If she didn't know any better she would have thought that JJ didn't want them to see that vulnerable side of her, the side she had almost lost when working for the State Department. It seemed she had gotten so used to the hard outside shell that she was reluctant to let anyone see anything other than that.

"You can spend the morning doing paperwork," Hotch said as he walked into the bullpen. He briefly made eye contact before disappearing inside his office. "I'll have your reports on my desk by the lunchtime."

Morgan followed him with his eyes. "What's up with him?"

"I heard they're putting pressure on him from higher up the food chain," Rossi said and JJ looked over her shoulder. She didn't know how Rossi came to have all the inside information but it had often proved useful.

"Pressure about what?" Reid wanted to know but Rossi shrugged.

"No idea. But that's how these things go."

JJ looked back at the paperwork on her desk. She wasn't far behind but it would take her all morning to catch up. She heaved a sigh as she picked up a pen, opened the first file and began marking the parts she needed to fill in. Without realising it she chewed her bottom lip and wound a strand of blonde hair around her index finger.

When her phone vibrated with the announcement of a message, she was rudely disturbed. Her eyes briefly darted to the clock on the wall and saw, to her surprise, that she had been working for over two hours straight. It was half past nine and she was over half way through her paperwork.

JJ reached for her phone and frowned when she noticed the message came from a sender who was identified by her phone as 'unknown'. Usually these messages would at least give her the phone number of the sender but this message did not. Her heart hammered in her chest as she slid her finger across the lock screen, typed in her four digit code and watched the background image light up. Henry looked up at her, a beaming smile lit up his face.

Unlocking her phone took her straight to her messages and she opened the one she had just received. It wasn't time coded and there wasn't a sender. The message contained only one word.

_Blackbird._

Her heart skipped a beat and suddenly her hands became clammy. A wave of panic washed over her and JJ's blue eyes nervously darted around the BAU. People were walking from desk to desk, people were working. It was an ordinary and quiet Monday morning. At the desk across from her own, Blake supported her head with her hand as she chewed on her pen but she seemed to grow aware of JJ looking at her and slowly raised her eyes to meet the blonde profiler's gaze. The linguist's eyes narrowed.

"Everything ok?" she asked when she noticed the almost lost expression etched across JJ's face.

"Yeah," JJ answered, quickly slipping back into her profiler mode. She glanced down at her phone to double check she hadn't misread the message. It was undeniable. She pushed her chair back, locked her phone and stood up. Blake watched her.

"JJ?"

"I just need to make a phone call," JJ hurriedly said and quickly added, "Something's wrong with Henry."

She left the bullpen whilst feeling Blake's eyes burning into her back. She clutched her phone as she walked down the hallway leading away from the BAU. She knew this floor like the back of her hand and her instincts led her to the only place she could think of that would be safe. She knew Blake and Rossi had found her fox hole there months earlier but her old office was now really only a storage room.

She quickly closed the door behind her, drew the blinds and turned the lock. She rested with her back against the door and allowed herself a moment to catch her breath. The pounding in her head and the adrenaline rushing through her veins, almost brought her down to her knees and her fingers trembled as she unlocked her phone and scrolled through her contacts before dialling a number.

"Hey, it's me," she said when a familiar voice answered at the other side of the line. Her breath hitched as she fought against the panic. "I need you to get me out of here, now."

She hung up, pushed her phone into her pocket and covered her face with her hands. The tears came without warning and they lashed against her cheeks. Slowly she dropped down to the floor, her back still resting against the door, and brought her knees up to her chest.

~()~

It was lunchtime when she noticed JJ hadn't come back. Morgan was about to put a sandwich from their favourite deli on JJ's desk when he noticed the abandoned paperwork and turned to Blake to ask her where she was. The brunette profiler frowned.

"She left to go make a phone call," she answered as she stood up and circled around to JJ's desk. "She said it had something to do with Henry."

"Did she leave in a hurry?" Morgan asked, taking in the untidy desk JJ had left behind.

"Yeah, she did," Blake answered. She rubbed the back of her neck and her eyes briefly met Morgan's. She could tell he was thinking along the same lines she was but she wasn't prepared to go there just yet. "I just thought that it was the school calling, you know. Maybe Henry had an accident?"

"What happened just before she left?"

"She got a message," Blake answered. "I could hear her phone vibrate."

"Everything ok?" Hotch appeared behind them. "Where's JJ?"

"Blake just said she got a text message some time ago and left to make a phone call." Morgan pointed at the open file on the desk. His eyes widened. "Hotch, she didn't come back."

Hotch took his phone out of his pocket and found JJ's number under speed dial. He called it but it never connected. Slowly he lowered the phone and looked at the other two profilers. "Her phone's disconnected."

Blake looked up to the ceiling and she heaved a sigh. "Not again."

"We don't know if that's what this is yet," Hotch reminded her but Blake sensed from his reaction that he suspected that they were back to where they had started six months earlier. "Get the others and have Garcia meet us at the round table. Morgan, call Cruz."

"You think this has something to do with JJ's time at the State Department?" Morgan looked confused but dialled Cruz's number anyway. "Hotch, we solved that case. Hastings is dead. Cruz said it himself. It's a closed case."

Hotch didn't answer. Instead he walked across the bullpen into the direction of their incident room and was soon followed by Rossi and Reid. Blake was right behind them and she quickly filled them in on what they knew. She had just finished talking when Garcia, wearing a bright red dress that made Blake's eyes hurt, walked in, clutching her laptop and a tablet.

"Morgan says JJ's missing," she said, fear lacing her voice. "Is it true?"

"She left the BAU two hours ago and her phone is disconnected," Hotch answered. "That's all I know." His eyes found Garcia's. "I want you to get me all the surveillance footage inside and outside the building and look for JJ. Start with the moment she leaves the BAU and check all the exits."

Morgan walked into the room and sat down next to Garcia. "Cruz says he doesn't know where JJ is. He's on his way here but he did say he doesn't know how much help he'll be."

"He and JJ worked together and both have become very skilled at covering their tracks. She managed to fool us for years and so did he," Hotch said. His voice was earnest but those sitting around the table sensed the anticipation. "If anything, he can tell us how JJ would move if she has gone missing even if he cannot give us the reason why."

"I found her," Garcia breathed and her fingers flew across the keyboard. Seconds later two different images from two separate cameras appeared on the large screen. "This one is time stamped nine thirty-six, the moment she leaves the BAU."

The team watched as JJ walked out of the bullpen and across the hallway towards her old office. For a brief moment she looked around before disappearing inside. A moment later the blinds were drawn.

"She doesn't look like she's trying not to be seen," Blake noticed. "She knows there are cameras everywhere."

"When does she leave?" Rossi asked.

"Half an hour later," Garcia answered and at that same moment the video started playing again.

The door to the storage room opened and JJ reappeared. This time she seemed more aware of the cameras and did her best to hide her face. She didn't look back at the BAU but started down the corridor and disappeared from sight when she reached the elevator.

Garcia then switched to the second video. It was taken from a security camera outside the building and showed JJ leaving through one of the fire exits. She looked weary and kept her head down, away from the camera. As she left the building, a standard issue bureau SVU pulled up and JJ climbed into the passenger's seat. When the car drove away the whole team noticed the licence plates had been removed.

"She just left," Reid said. "She walked out and just… disappeared."

"The good thing is that now we know she wasn't taken by force," Rossi answered and he looked at Garcia. "Can you get into JJ's phone?"

"I'll try but something tells me that it's not going to be easy," Garcia answered. "Hotch said her phone is disconnected and that's most definitely true. She's even switched off her GPS. There is no way I can track her."

Morgan sat back in his chair. "Why would JJ leave?"

"Another State Department mission?" Blake suggested.

"Impossible."

The team looked up to find Matteo Cruz standing in the doorway. He looked old beyond his years. The stress of the kidnapping and the torture had aged him and although the Bureau had since transferred him to a desk job that was low key and low pressure, the damage had been done.

"Whatever JJ's doing, she is doing it for herself," Cruz said as he walked into the room and sat down in the empty seat. "But JJ knows what she's doing. She can cover her tracks. She knows about security and she knows what tactics we have to discover her location. When she worked for the State Department, JJ was trained in codes. She won't do anything out in the open. She'll go underground."

"Whatever this is, it spooked her. How good is she under pressure?" Blake asked.

Cruz's eyes darkened. "The best."

"JJ kept secrets from us for years and the truth only came out when she was kidnapped," Reid said. He leant in across the table. "What are the odds that there is something she didn't tell us?" He looked at Cruz. "Is there anything about JJ's time in Afghanistan that we don't know about? Anything that happened out there, or back home, that could trigger this reaction?"

"JJ is family focused," Cruz said. "That was the one thing that kept her going and stopped her from making mistakes. She knew that making errors could cost her more than just her own life."

"Blake, Rossi, go talk to Will," Hotch said and the two profilers stood up. "We'll work the case from here."

~()~

Half an hour later Rossi and Blake pulled up outside the house JJ shared with Will. Blake had never been here and Rossi only remembered because he had picked JJ up one morning during an early call for work. He parked the car, glanced at Blake and then at the house.

"What are we going to tell him?" he wondered.

"I've been asking myself that same question," Blake said quietly. She swallowed hard and opened the car door.

They walked up the path to the door and Rossi knocked. Seconds felt like hours before the door opened and Will appeared. He looked ready for work and he arched an eyebrow in surprise when he saw the two profilers standing outside.

"Dave," he said, his eyes fixing on Rossi, "What's going on?"

"Did you see JJ this morning?" Blake asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Did she seem different at all?" Rossi continued. "Stressed, agitated? Something that was different from her normal morning routine?"

Will's eyes fluttered shut as realisation began to sink in. "She didn't tell you."

Blake frowned and shared a worried look with Rossi. "Tell us what?"

"JJ hasn't lived here for six months."


	4. Chapter 4

When Blake and Rossi walked back into the room the rest of the team had already gathered. Garcia's fingers flew across the keyboard of her laptop. There was a deep frown spreading across her forehead and in the brief moment that she looked up, Blake recognised fear and sadness in the technical analyst's eyes. She couldn't deny that she didn't feel the same way.

"So Will said JJ hasn't lived at their address for six months," Hotch said as his eyes drifted across the room. He didn't need to be a profiler to be able to read the expressions on the rest of the team's faces. Anxiety mixed with a hint of fear and an anger that although not misplaced they all considered wrong. "Do we know where she could have gone instead?"

"Why didn't she tell us?" Morgan wondered. In his mind he had gone back to the events leading up to and just after JJ's kidnapping at least a dozen times since finding out she was gone. "We helped her the last time; we could have helped her this time."

"There is no record of JJ renting another house anywhere across D.C or the surrounding areas," Garcia concluded and she looked up. She felt deflated. It was rare for her searched not to give answers and answers was what she, and the others, relied on. "I've put her name into every possible database but nada. Whatever she's doing, she's doing it below the radar and she's good at it. I can't find a trace of anything."

"But she sees Henry regularly," Blake interjected, remembering the conversation she and JJ had earlier that morning. "She spent time with him over the weekend, said she took him to the park…" Her eyes widened as one of the pieces began to fall into place. "Maybe he can tell us where she lives. I know he's young but he must have some kind of idea."

"Reid, you and Morgan talk to Henry. Get Will to bring him in and explain to both of them that we need to find out where JJ lives," Hotch said and the two profilers left the room. Hotch looked back at Garcia. "Anything else? Credit cards, bank statements?"

Garcia's breath hitched. "Nothing, sir. It seems like Jennifer Jareau vanished of the surface of the earth right around the time Hastings kidnapped her." She looked back at her screen. "All her credit cards were paid off and then cancelled, her bank account was too. There hasn't been any activity for the last six months. If it wasn't for the fact she worked here until this morning and that I found her birth certificate, I'd say she never even existed."

"Why would she go through all that trouble?" Rossi leant back in his chair and folded his hands behind his neck. "No one can live without leaving some kind of paper trail these days. Everything's automated. Digital fingerprints, stuff like that."

"There is one particular type of person who does live off the grid like that out of fear of being discovered," Blake said slowly and leant across the table. She folded her hands and chewed the inside of her cheek. When she felt everyone's eyes on her she looked up. "An undercover agent."

"You think JJ's undercover?" Garcia breathed.

"It's a possibility. After her time at the State Department I don't think we can rule anything out," Rossi answered. "But who would she be working for? The BAU doesn't have undercover agents and if she was working an operation she must have been recruited some time ago. She was able to work whatever it is she's working whilst being a profiler."

"That only rules out that she was an active member of an undercover operation," Hotch said. "Not every operation relies solely on agents in the field. JJ could have been part of the team working the operation from inside the FBI."

"Is there a chance she worked for another agency?" Blake suggested. "CIA?"

"Garcia, get in touch with the CIA. See if anyone there knows if JJ has been working for them."

"Sir," Garcia interrupted him and she looked up from her computer screen. "I put a track on all FBI issued credit cards currently in use. You know, the type used to book flights and stuff. Not all agents have one but most departments own one to allow their agents quick and easy travel across the country. Strauss had one for the BAU." Her eyes found his. "I know you have it now."

"Those credit cards are meant to be untraceable," Hotch said. "How did you find them?"

"Untraceable for anyone outside the Bureau but not for those working inside," Garcia explained. "I just got a hit at Dulles Airport. The card was used fifteen minutes ago, at international departures. Looks like someone just got a plane ticket."

"That's got to be JJ," Blake said. "Can you tell which destination she's fllying to?"

Garcia shook her head. "No, but I can get in touch with Dulles to hand over their security footage." She glanced at Hotch. "Or you can go the airport and check it out."

"Rossi, Blake, go to Dulles. See if you can find out if this is indeed JJ booking a ticket and if so, where to." Hotch looked back at Garcia. "Can you bring up the security footage outside the building? I want to see if there's any way to identify the driver of that SUV. If we can find out who he or she is, they may be able to give us some answers too."

~()~

She got changed in the ladies room and abandoned her black slacks, shirt and blazer in a plastic back in one of the trash cans. She didn't have a need for them anymore. Instead she now wore a pair of loose fitting boyfriend jeans, a simple black hooded sweatshirt and a pair of comfortable sneakers and she bound her hair back in a ponytail. The rug sack hung over her shoulder, holding her gun and her badge, her phone, her passport and an envelope with an undisclosed amount of money.

JJ left the ladies room and crossed the wide and brightly lit hall towards her departure gate. With every step the anxiety in her stomach continued to rise. Only ten minutes until boarding and she nervously looked over her shoulder, aware that the cameras were capturing her image but with every passing minute she became more confident that her mission would work out. If she could get on the plane and through take off then the whole thing would be a success.

She joined the large group of waiting to start boarding and fumbled with her ticket. Butterflies danced in the pit of her stomach and the nerves fought a battle with her sense of guilt. She was leaving without saying goodbye to her son and to her friends. She had no doubt that the scale of her lies would soon be discovered but right now it wasn't about that. It was about getting away from here as fast as she could.

She couldn't have done it without help and she knew that sooner rather than later the others would discover who her ally was. They didn't know him but after today they would. They worked at the State Department together and he was there when she came home. He was transferred to the FBI at the same time she returned to the FBI and a single message from Matteo Cruz told her that he would be her go to person if she ever needed help. She knew that what she had done today wasn't what Cruz had intended but JJ didn't care. She would deal with the consequences of her actions another day.

A friendly woman's voice announced over the speaker that they were about to begin boarding her flight and JJ took her passport out of her bag. She opened it and smiled at her own photograph. It had been taken a few months ago, when she had her passport renewed. But the name on this passport didn't say Jennifer Elizabeth Jareau.

She handed the passport to the air hostess doing the check in procedure and also gave her the ticket to scan. The woman, dressed in a United Airlines uniform, smiled when she gave JJ back her passport and her ticket. "Have a nice flight."

"Thank you," JJ said quietly and walked on.

She found her seat in first class, put her bag down at her feet and slipped effortlessly into her seat. She rested her head back and released the breath she'd been holding. Her head was pounding and her muscles ached under the tension. Her heart hammered in her chest but her face didn't betray any of her nerves other than the tiredness that reflected in her eyes.

She didn't look at her fellow passengers as they began to fill the cabin and take their seats. Most seemed to be businessmen and women, dressed in expensive suits and carrying designer suitcases. JJ folded her hands in her lap, closed her eyes and wished for the moment where she would hear the plane's engines roar and she'd know she'd be on her way out of here.

Twenty minutes past and the soft ping announced the seatbelt sign had been lit up. She buckled up, took a deep breath and glanced through the small window out over the tarmac. Another large plane stood at a gate not far away. Luggage was being loaded into the cargo hole. People were walking around in bright yellow jackets and JJ smiled to herself when she heard the plane's engines come to life.

When the plane was eventually ready for take-off, JJ sat back in her seat and her eyes fluttered shut. The plane gathered speed at it raced further and further ahead and slowly it lost contact with the ground. When she looked down at the world growing smaller and smaller underneath her, JJ felt the tears well up in her eyes. She'd made it. She was on her way out. They couldn't stop her now.

~()~

Garcia had found JJ on the airport's security system and directed Rossi and Blake to the United Airlines ticket counter. The two agents rushed through the crowds as best as they could and Blake showed JJ's picture to the young man behind the counter after flashing her badge. He seemed taken aback but nodded anyway.

"She was here," he said. "About an hour ago."

"Where did she go?" Blake wanted to know. When the young man didn't move fast enough she slammed her badge onto the counter. "Listen, buddy, this is an emergency. This woman is one of our own and we need to know what ticket she booked!"

The man's keys flew across the keyboard. "What's her name?"

"Jennifer Jareau."

The man looked up, a puzzled look etched across his face. "I have nobody here under that name."

"But she was here?" Rossi said, showing the picture to the man a second time. "You're sure it was her?"

"Positive," he answered. "But she didn't book that flight under that name."

Blake shared a look with Rossi and the older profiler read her mind. It seemed JJ really was trying not to be found. "What flight did she book? Where did she go?"

"London."

Blake's heart missed a beat. The thought of JJ leaving the country unnerved her. "When does her flight leave?"

"It left thirty minutes ago." The young man looked from Rossi to Blake. He could tell the two agents were on edge. "United Airlines flight 236."

"Damnit!" Blake cursed under her breath and turned to look at Rossi. "Why would she have gone to London?"

"I don't know," Rossi admitted and let his eyes wander around the check in hall. JJ had been here only hours earlier. The fact she was trying to evade detection and did everything in her power for them not to find her unnerved him. His phone vibrated and he opened the message of Garcia. It was a snapshot from another security camera, this time showing JJ without her blazer and her hair tied back. He showed it to Blake. "But whatever it is, is sure has made her nervous."

"She got changed," Blake whispered. "Clever girl."

Rossi dialled Hotch's number. When he answered he just said, "Hotch, JJ got on a flight to London. Flight departed half an hour ago."

"Stay where you are. I'll get Garcia to get you on the next flight out of Dulles."

Rossi looked at Blake. "You're sending us after her?"

"She needs our help, Dave. We can't give it to her from here."

"Ok." Rossi hung up and put his phone away. Blake was watching him and he met her gaze. "Did you bring your go bag?"

"In the trunk of the car," Blake answered. "I take it we're going to London?" When Rossi nodded she turned back to the guy behind the desk and leant in. "Hey, just out of curiosity, under what name did our friend book her ticket?"

The young man turned the screen so Blake could see.

"Jennifer Reynolds."


	5. Chapter 5

When she got the off the plane she found her way through the crowds of Heathrow Airport and got into a waiting taxi. The driver turned around in his seat and asked her where she wanted to go. Her voice was flat and her body protested under the jetlag but she looked up anyway and met his gaze. His eyes were friendly and he spoke with a strong London accent.

"Where to, love?"

She gave him the address and leant back into her seat as he taxi drove away from the taxi rank and joined the line of traffic leaving the airport. Her heart pounded in her chest as her eyes scanned her new surroundings. Thick drops of rain landed on the black cab's roof and windscreen. The sound was monotone and soothing and JJ slowly released her breath. The adrenaline pumping through her veins slowly began to subside. She'd made it.

Her eyes fluttered shut as she rested her tired head against the cab window. She didn't sleep. She couldn't. She'd tried on the plane but overtime she was about to fall into the darkness she woke up with a jolt. By now she had reconciled with the fact that she'd be running on caffeine and her desire to finish what had been started.

JJ switched her phone back on and waited for the device to pick up one of the British networks. Once the screen had come to life and a connection had been established she scrolled through her emails and felt a lump in the back of her throat when she saw several from Reid and a couple from Blake. They all had the same subject title. We know.

She deleted the messages without reading them, her fingers trembling as they moved across the smartphone's screen. She then checked the missed calls log and her heart sank when she saw Garcia's name over and over again. The bitterness and pain almost strangled her but she knew she couldn't let it get to her. Not now, not when there was this much at stake. She couldn't allow her own emotions to cloud her judgment. She had to stay focused.

After what felt like an eternity and having been stuck in a traffic jam for fifteen minutes, JJ finally got out of the taxi and paid the driver. She waited until he'd vanished around the corner of the apartment building and let her eyes wander around the street. She stood in the middle of the borough of Kensington. The streets were full of cars. Across the road there was a deli, a pizza place, two pubs and what looked like a sushi bar.

JJ reached into the pocket of her jeans and found the key she'd slipped in there earlier that day. The metal felt cold against her fingers and she grabbed a firm hold of it. She then looked up at the building she was standing in front of. It was about ten stories high and consisted of mostly apartments, or what the British called flats. Just like the building across the road, the lowest floor was occupied by shops. She could smell the fresh coffee from a place called Costa and tore her eyes away from the group of young men, all wearing suits, emerging from the bar clutching coffee cups and laughing amongst themselves.

She walked up to the buildings door and stuck the key into the lock. It clicked and opened and JJ pushed against the door. It gave way, revealing a simple yet staircase and elevator. The hard wooden floors looked like they had been recently polished and the walls had been painted in a warm shade of cream and adorned with black and white framed coastal pictures. A large plant in a white pot stood in the corner next to the elevator and the entrance hallway smelt of fresh linen. She made sure to close the door behind her and when she turned she noticed a small plug in air freshener. It explained the smell.

JJ pressed the button and the elevator doors slid open, revealing a brightly lit and largely mirrored space. She stepped inside and kept her head down, having noticed the red flashing light of the security camera in the top left corner. Her index finger briefly hovered over the number 10 before pressing it. The button lit up and the doors slowly closed. A soft jolt indicated the elevator was going up.

Mere seconds later the doors opened again and revealed a simple looking hallway. There was only one door at the end and JJ trend the key over and over in the palm of her hand. The sound of her sneakers against the polished floor was soft but still loud enough to be noticeable. When she reached the door she quickly stuck the key in the lock and the door opened. She stepped inside, let the door fall closed behind her and felt her knees buckle. She slid down to the floor, her back against the door, with her knees up to her chest. The tears came without warning and she cried.

~()~

"Hotch, this isn't about JJ," Rossi said. He'd dialled Hotch's number almost immediately after the young man behind the desk had mentioned under which last name JJ travelled and put it on speaker so Blake could speak and hear him too. "The last name on her passport is Reynolds."

"Lauren Reynolds," Hotch answered and he looked across the room at Garcia. The blonde technical analyst looked up at the mention of that name. "Emily's old undercover identity back when she worked for Interpol."

"JJ got on a flight to London under an assumed name," Rossi continued. "London and Reynolds both point at just one thing, Hotch."

"Emily."

Blake ran her hand through her hair. Her go bag and Rossi's stood at her feet. Their flight would leave in an hour. "Why would JJ leave without saying anything to go see Emily?"

Rossi's eyes found Blake's. The look in his eyes betrayed his unease. "Emily works for Interpol. She's used to dealing with undercover operations. Something tells me this isn't just a social visit."

"You think she knows something we don't?" Hotch asked. "Emily and JJ have been in touch throughout the years. Emily was the only one who knew about JJ's time in Afghanistan. They share a trust deeper than we guessed until now. Could Emily be the one needing her help now?"

"Sir?" Garcia's voice interrupted the phone call and Hotch looked at her. Garcia's face reflected her worry. "There's something you need to know."

"What is it, Garcia?" Blake asked.

"After Will told us that JJ hadn't lived at their house for six months, I did a little bit more digging," Garcia answered. "Not only hasn't JJ lived at that address… she also filed for divorce six months ago. A judge right here in D.C signed the paperwork within a week of it being filed."

"I don't seem to remember any of my divorces being that quick," Rossi mused and Blake couldn't suppress a smile. "Does it give a reason why the divorce was finalised so fast? Names of the attorneys involved perhaps?"

"The file appears to be closed," Garcia replied. There was a hint of frustration in her voice and this frustration only grew when she encountered block after block. She tried several other keys but the same message continued to appear on her screen telling her she didn't have the right key code to log in. "Encrypted, in fact."

"Blake furrowed her brow. "What's so special about a divorce that it needs to be sealed?"

"We'll soon find out." Garcia sounded determined. "I should be able to find a way into the system and… ah!" The pitch of her voice changed and from across the room she looked at Hotch. "You know, the FBI hired me because they couldn't beat me. I bet the State Department can't beat me either."

The corner of Hotch's lips twitched. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"What's in the file?" Rossi wanted to know.

"Let's see… standard divorce proceedings signed off by two different attorneys. No idea who they are but I can run them and…" There was a brief pause as the pictures of two different men appeared on Garcia's screen. "Well, I'll be damned. Both attorneys work for the State Department. I guess that explains why it was all finalised so fast." Garcia's fingers continued to fly across her keyboard. "Oh God."

"What?" Blake chewed the inside of her cheek. "Garcia, what is it?"

"A wedding certificate, issued five months ago."

Hotch turned around at those words and Garcia slowly turned her screen so he could see what she'd found. She watched as his eyes darkened. She knew he felt the same way she did and to see the signs of betrayal etched across his usually so stoic face ripped through Garcia's heart.

Hotch swallowed hard. "JJ got married five months ago."

Blake looked at Rossi in disbelief. They were gathering the pieces of the puzzle but it seemed that the greater picture didn't make any sense. "JJ got married only four weeks after divorcing Will?" She shook her head as she tried to understand why JJ would have done this. "To whom?"

"Emily Prentiss."

Rossi heaved a sigh as he suddenly understand the reason JJ had walked out that morning. "So JJ didn't go to London looking for her friend…"

"She went to find her wife," Blake finished his sentence. This changed everything. "Thanks, Garcia."

Rossi hung up but held the phone in his hand. He looked at Blake. He knew she didn't know Jj as well as he did, although in this moment he wondered if he ever knew the blonde at all, but Blake definitely didn't have any experience working alongside Emily. It made her both the perfect profiler because she could distance herself but at the same time she lacked the insight in both JJ's and Emily's personality.

He frowned. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would JJ marry Emily only four weeks after she divorced Will?"

"Could they've been having some kind of affair for all this time?" Blake suggested. "It was JJ who enabled Emily's safe passage to Paris after the events with Doyle. It was JJ who created her fake identity and JJ who brought Emily back. Could there have been more to their relationship than anyone expected?"

"I guess it's a possibility," Rossi admitted. "And after what JJ went through in Afghanistan and with her ability to keep secrets, I wouldn't put anything past her anymore." His eyes found those of Blake and he had to admit the one thing to himself that he had been afraid to admit until now. "I think we thought we knew JJ when really we didn't have a clue who we were dealing with."

~()~

Hotch took his cell phone and scrolled through the contacts before finding a number he had dialled for the first time six months earlier. He pressed the number associated with Emily Prentiss' name and waited.

The phone didn't ring. The line was dead.

"Emily's phone is disconnected," he said. "Garcia, get me Interpol. I want to speak to Emily's superior. We need to find out what she was working on."

"Sir, I thought Emily was the superior?" Garcia asked, raising an eyebrow in question. "I thought her time of running secret operations was behind her?"

"I thought so too," Hotch said slowly and stared out of one of the windows. The unnerving, gnawing feeling that had settled in his stomach earlier only grew stronger. "But I think there something neither Emily nor JJ told us about when Emily was in D.C. She's involved in something and JJ knows what."

Garcia focused on her computer screen and managed to find the contact for Interpol in London. She gave Hotch the number and just as he dialled it, her own phone rang and Morgan's name flashed across the screen. She quickly answered it.

"Talk to me, sweetness."

"Henry doesn't know where JJ lives," Morgan answered. "He managed to direct us to the park but that's about it. He doesn't remember how to get to her house."

"Ok."

"Ok?" Morgan asked. "You never just say 'ok', baby girl. What's going on?"

"Emily and JJ got married.

"What?!"

"To each other."

"But JJ and Will…"

"Got divorced six months ago. JJ married Emily four weeks later."

"They're married?" Morgan repeated. The image that had formed in his head slowly fell apart. Nothing fitted the profile anymore. "Where is JJ now?"

"She got on a flight to London earlier this morning. Rossi and Blake will be on the next flight out of Dulles to try and find her. Hotch thinks Emily is working some kind of operation and JJ has gone out to help her." Garcia's voice trembled. "Something's very, very wrong. I can feel it."

"We'll find her, baby girl," Morgan reassured her. "Has Hotch got in touch with Emily?"

"Her phone's dead. He's trying to contact Interpol now. Someone must know what she was doing."

"OK, Reid and I are on our way back," Morgan said slowly. "Call us if anything changes."

Garcia hung up and looked over her shoulder at Hotch. He was on the phone and it was only now that she could hear him talk. His voice was flat; like it had been the night they all learnt Emily had been killed. It was a night she would never forget, even if it did turn out to be a lie.

"So you're telling me you're not at liberty to discuss the whereabouts of Agent Prentiss at this present moment?" Hotch asked. His grip on his phone tightened. "Sir, do you even know where she is?" A silence followed. "Well, sir, I am afraid this goes over your head. One of my agents is missing in your city and one of your agents is involved." He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the glass. His eyes hardened. "I don't care if I am breaking a dozen international laws, we're going to bring our agent back and you have two choices; you help me or you stay out of our way." Another pause. "Very well."

He hung up and slowly looked at Garcia. "Tell Rossi and Blake to meet Agent McDonald at Interpol Head Office when they get to London. We're going to find Emily and JJ and we're going to bring both of them home."


	6. Chapter 6

The apartment was stylishly decorated. She wouldn't have expected anything less from Emily. It breathed an atmosphere of homeliness and comfort, something JJ knew Emily didn't see in her work. Home was all they had to cling to, a place to feel safe and warm and to get away from the monsters they were chasing, or the monsters that were chasing them.

She wandered from room to room, the sound of her footsteps hollow against the wooden floor. The silence was overwhelming. Walking through Emily's home was a cruel reminder that she was only here because Emily wasn't; it was a reminder why she was here, how she had found this place and what it was she was here to do.

The kitchen overlooked the street below. It was modern, with white units and a solid black granite counter top. No washing up in the sink, the dishwasher was empty and the fridge was full. JJ's fingers danced across the countertop as she turned to look at the black and white photo canvas on the wall.

A sad smile spread across her face. Emily looked back at her with big and happy brown eyes. Her own eyes matched that look and their arms were wrapped around each other. It was as if she was looking back into the past, when life had somehow seemed so much simpler. The picture had been taken in an unguarded moment years ago when Emily returned to D.C. Morgan had been the one to snap it on an evening out in a bar.

From the kitchen JJ walked into the living room. The walls were painted white apart from one feature wall. It was painted dark brown. The furniture looked expensive but felt soft and comfortable. Cream and brown pillows were placed strategically across the couch and the two arm chairs. A stash of magazines lay on the coffee table, the TV remote balancing precariously on top as if left in a hurry. More black and white framed photos on the wall. Thick, dark brown curtains adorned the large windows that provided a stunning view over London. Raindrops splattered against the glass.

JJ heaved a sigh as she walked from the living room to the bedroom. She bit back the tears as she pushed against the door. It opened and revealed a bright, spacious room with two large windows that let in all the natural light.

The bed stood against the wall furthest away from her, made up neatly with black and white sheets. A chair stood in the corner next to it, a pair of black slacks and a blouse draped over the back. The wardrobe with door length mirrors took up a large part of the opposite wall. On a side table and in the window still stood two vases with fake black and white flowers. There was a black and white skyline view of D.C framed on the wall and a large white bookcase crammed full with novels, magazines and classic literature stood not far from the bed.

JJ carefully crossed the room and held still in the middle. She let her eyes wander around, in her head trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle Emily had given her over time together. Her eyes fixed on the bookcase and she spotted the small box standing on a shelf between two rows of books. Her heart skipped a beat as she took it, opened it and peered inside. There, on the velvet covered bottom of the box, sat a small key.

She took it, carefully put the box back where she found it and left the bedroom. She went back to the living room and walked over to the large oil painting on the wall. It wasn't something she would have picked as Emily's style and without hesitation JJ put both her hands at the side of the painting and lifted it off the wall. It wasn't as heavy as she had thought and she carefully put it down.

She smiled to herself when she noticed the safe hidden behind the painting. "Clever girl."

The keypad indicated she would have to put in four different digits to open the lock and her fingers trembled as she pressed the number two, one, seven, zero. She watched as the red lights turned to green and the door to the safe jumped open. It was her birthday typed backwards.

JJ reached inside the safe and pulled out the box that stood inside it. It was a few inches tall and about the size of an A4 piece of paper. She carefully put it down on the coffee table, dropped to her knees and used the key she'd taken from Emily's bedroom to open the lock. The metal creaked as she removed the lid. Inside the box were several Interpol files, all marked confidential. JJ picked them up and moved from the ground to the couch.

She put the files in her lap and closed her eyes for a few seconds, allowing herself to clear her mind. She then opened the files. The first one was a profile on the target. Emily hadn't told her much but just enough for her to know and understand what they were dealing with. Seeing the information in front of her gave her everything she needed. Surveillance photos, detailed personality analysis, background history. Everything she knew Emily would have needed to complete her cover.

The next file gave her a photo of Emily attached to the paperwork. Her hair had been cut, she noticed. It now reached to just over her ears. Her dark eyes looked straight into the camera, without fear. She pulled the photo aside and read the description of her cover. Whoever had created this identity had been thorough. Nothing had been left to chance.

JJ carefully closed the box and put it back in the safe, but without the files. She locked the safe, put the painting back and with the files under her arm she walked to the bedroom and put the key back where she found it. She let her eyes wander around the room one last time, imagining Emily asleep in the bed.

They had never spent a moment here together. Until today she had never been here. Their meetings had always been by chance, whenever fate allowed it. Emily had always been the one to come to the US. JJ never went to London. She knew it would be too dangerous. Emily kept telling her she couldn't come. If anyone knew she existed, how close she was to Emily, they wouldn't hesitate to target her too.

JJ turned the wedding band around her ring finger as she thought of Emily. Nobody knew. Their marriage was a secret, even to Interpol. Their whole relationship was a secret and had been for years. Everything had changed in Paris. Realising she was going to lose Emily for good had made her see that she wasn't prepared to give up on her. It was where they had crossed their line; a line they knew could endanger both their lives in many ways.

JJ swallowed her tears and left the bedroom. She walked back through the hall to the front door, stepped outside and locked it behind her. Closing the door behind her felt final, as if she was saying some kind of goodbye.

She made her way back down to the entrance lobby of the building and out onto the street. It was still raining and she huddled a little deeper into her jacket as she crossed the street. She started walking, without a proper sense of direction but with an idea where she needed to go. Her hand slipped into her pocket and she took out her phone, dialling a number as she increased her pace.

"Hey, it's me," she said when a familiar voice with a British accent answered the phone. "It's time."

"Are you sure?"

"She didn't answer her phone. I got the message."

"What did it say?"

JJ's breath hitched. "Blackbird."

"Oh God."

"It was our code word. Nobody else knows it but me, her and you. Do you think he has her?" JJ's eyes darted around to make sure the street was safe to cross. "I'm in London. How fast can you get to me?"

"You're in London?! JJ, have you lost your mind?! You could compromise the whole thing!"

"I am not going to let this happen. Not again."

There was a pause. "Ok." Another pause. "Get in a taxi and meet me at Trafalgar Square, at the fountain."

The connection ended and JJ glanced at her phone before letting it slip back into her pocket. She looked over her shoulder and saw a black cab approaching. She raised her hand and managed to make eye contact with the driver. He pulled up alongside the pavement and JJ opened the passenger door.

"Where to?" he asked.

She leant back into her seat, her heart hammering in her chest. "Trafalgar Square, please."

~()~

"'Garcia just text me the address to Emily's flat," Blake said ad she checked her phone. She and Rossi had just joined the group of people waiting for their luggage from the flight to appear on the luggage belt. The flight from Dulles to London had landed twenty five minutes ago and after a quick and relatively easy passport check at Heathrow, they were now waiting for their bags.

"I got the reservations for our hotel," Rossi said. He'd checked his emails and noticed the one Garcia had sent him. "They just came through."

"JJ's got a head start," Blake mused. There was a hint of despair in her voice. The thought JJ was ahead of them was uncomfortable. She could only hope they'd be able to find her. "How are we ever going to catch up with her?"

"We'll start with Emily's flat and work our way from there. If I had to pick one place in this city where JJ would go, that would be it." Rossi looked around the luggage hall. "There is one thing you, me and JJ have in common. We don't know London or Interpol. She needs help to navigate her way around. I don't believe she's doing this on her own."

Blake ran her fingers through her hair. "So you think she's got help?" Rossi nodded. "She's tired, emotional and jet lagged. How sure are you she's making rational decisions right now?"

"JJ managed to keep her cool even when Hastings was torturing her," Rossi said slowly. "I hope that she can do the same again. And if she's got someone helping her it means she can't move as fast she would like. She needs guidance, a place to start. This takes time. It gives us a chance to follow her tracks."

Blake's phone rang and Hotch's name flashed across the screen. She answered it and put the phone on speaker. "Yes, Hotch?"

"I spoke to the head of Interpol. He informed me that there are currently two large operations running within the UK but only one of those operations involves the use of undercover informants."

Blake realised the pieces began to fall into place. "Emily's one of them."

"Until a couple of weeks ago Emily was heading the operation," Hotch said. "One of their informants was killed. His body was found in the Thames. There were signs of torture and his tongue and eyes had been removed."

"Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil?" Blake wondered.

"Interpol did not have suitable replacement. Emily then insisted she'd take the job herself," Hotch continued. "From what I understand, this went against the wishes of her superiors but she insisted. She feels responsible for the other agent's death and is probably trying to bring the operation to a good end."

"Considering her past experiences with Doyle she makes a great undercover agent," Rossi noted. "But her emotional connection makes her vulnerable. With Doyle she managed to distance herself. She bonded with him but lacked the emotional side. This is different. It changes the way she behaves. Did he say how long she's been under?"

"Two weeks but twenty four hours ago they lost all contact with their agents. Their phones went dead. They don't know what happened."

"How many agents are involved?" Blake wanted to know. A chill crept down her spine.

"Four. All are unaccounted for."

"JJ knew." Blake's eyes narrowed as she remembered the events leading up to this moment. "She knew Emily was working the undercover operation. The timeline fits with the time she got the text message back at the BAU. Could Emily have sent her some kind of warning?"

"Perhaps," Rossi answered. "Emily associated with two other agents during her time with Doyle. They were both killed. Even the best agents need someone to talk to, like a handler. JJ could have been that person for her, considering their relationship and their distance. Her relationship means she's close to Emily but the distance means she's safe from harm."

"Does Interpol have a profile on their target?" Blake asked.

"His name is David Hansen, forty two. He used to be a small time drug dealer with several arrests but in the last couple of years he started appearing on Interpol's radar for supplying weapons to Africa, mainly rebels in various countries as well as pirates."

"So he's used to dealing with high tension and stress. Pirates and rebels are known to be merciless," Blake aid slowly. "We all now the news reports of the atrocities these groups commit. They have no conscious and if he is delivering weapons to them then neither does he."

"Sounds like a certain Irish arms dealer Emily has worked with in the past," Rossi concluded. "He lacked the conscious of what he was doing as he firmly believed in his own cause. But he had something to gain. Hansen doesn't, at least not directly."

"Hansen is a sadist," Hotch answered. "He's suspected of rape and torture both here and abroad. Interpol has tracked him on two trips to Africa but have so far failed to make an arrest. Both times there were rapes and killings during his time there. They have yet to catch him in the act of actually supplying the weapons."

"If he found out Emily's an Interpol Agent…" Blake didn't finish her sentence. She and Rossi both knew what it meant. Hotch's description of what had happened to the other agent answered that question for them.

"Interpol says Emily had the files about her targets at home. Go to her flat; see if you can find them. They contain the whereabouts of almost all of the weapon's group members as well as Hansen himself." Hotch paused. "If JJ finds those files…"

"She will start the search for Emily on her own." Rossi glanced at Blake. "Hotch, is there any chance JJ is somehow involved in this?"

"You think she knows more about this than Interpol told us?"

"Just a thought. I know she and Emily are married but even then this seems extreme. Is there a chance JJ has been recruited by Interpol without our knowledge? Could she have been Emily's handler on this case, the one person Emily talks to? The handler is the one that relays the information back to Interpol. The less contact an informant has with the outside world, the better."

"They're never going to admit that even if it was true," Blake said, shaking her head.

"I'll look into it," Hotch said. "Garcia is still trying to get into JJ's phone but no luck so far." He paused. "Find JJ. If we find JJ then we can find Emily."


	7. Chapter 7

JJ got out of the cab and let her eyes wander around the square. It was one of the biggest tourist attractions in London, with its iconic fountain and the lion statues. As she made her way through the crowd she heard at least five different languages. With every step she took, more anxiety settled in her chest. She let her fingers ghost across the phone in her pocket whilst tightening her grip on the bag that contained the files she took from Emily's place.

Her cell phone rang and she grabbed it out of her pocket. The number was withheld but she answered. "Hello?"

"Turn around, Agent Jareau."

She did what the familiar voice asked her to and through the crowd she discovered the face she had been looking for. She heaved a sigh in relief, slipped the phone back into her pocket and walked over to the fountain. Clyde Easter leant against the wall surrounding the fountain and smiled when JJ walked towards him.

"Hey," she said as she moved next to him and leant against the wall too, leaving a few inches of space. She let her eyes wander around the square without looking directly at Clyde. "Is it safe, out in the open like this?"

"The walls have ears back at the office, JJ," he said as he fiddled with his phone, creating the illusion he wasn't talking to her. "This is safest place you're going to find in London right now."

"What do you know?"

"Emily got herself in over her head," Clyde answered and JJ's eyes snapped up. "Until a couple of weeks ago, Emily was leading the operation, as you know." JJ nodded. "They lost one of their agents and Emily insisted she took his place. I tried to talk her out of it, or at least get her to tell me what it was she was doing but she refused. So far I haven't been able to get anyone to exactly tell me what she was doing or who she's profiling."

"I can help with that." JJ reached into her bag and took out the files she found in Emily's apartment. "This is the guy."

"David Hansen." Clyde whistled through his teeth. "Emily always did go for the big guys."

"What else do you know?" JJ asked. "Details of the operation?"

"All communication went dead just over twenty-four hours ago. All phones were disconnected and the agents did not get in touch with their handlers at the designated times, which is how you knew something was wrong." He swallowed. "None of the alarms were activated besides Emily's."

"No one else activated their code words?" JJ whispered and Clyde shook his head. She sighed but a sense of fear slowly strangled her heart. "How quick can you get me inside?"

He stared at her in disbelief. "What?!"

"I want you to set me up with one of the people involved in this."

"JJ, they killed one of our agents and four more are unaccounted for."

"One of those is my wife!" JJ hissed, her blue eyes suddenly blazing. "I need you to get me inside Interpol and set up a connection to this group. I need to find Emily." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Either way, I'm getting in, whether you help me or not."

Clyde looked at the blonde woman standing next to him. He had seen this kind of determination before, in the eyes of the woman they were talking about. He had been the only person other than JJ who Emily trusted enough to tell about this operation. She gave him the code word she shared with JJ in the knowledge that he would understand and would help if the moment ever came.

He didn't expect that after Doyle, they would be here again. It had seemed too good to be true, to leave the mess created by hunting Doyle behind. When Emily came to London it felt like a clean slate but Clyde knew it would never quite be the way they wanted to be. They had their demons and Emily had her own guilt to deal with too. It was what had driven her to do this. One of her agents had died on her watch. She wasn't going to let several more get killed but that decision came with consequences.

"Do they know you're here?" he asked. He still watched the lines across JJ's face.

"I think by now they do, yes," JJ answered. She envisioned the team tracking her down. They had succeeded before. She had left just enough breadcrumbs to create a trail but it wasn't enough to lead them directly to her.

"Are they here?"

"I don't know. They might be."

"This means they will find you sooner or later." Clyde pushed himself away from the well. "Come."

"Where are we going?" JJ asked as she followed him.

"To get you inside."

~()~

Rossi opened the door to Emily's apartment and stepped inside. Blake followed and closed the door behind her before walking into the living room. She let her eyes wander around the room and took in the decoration. She then turned around to Rossi.

"You searched Emily's place back in DC when she was dealing with Doyle. Did you learn anything?"

"Emily likes to leave things in plain sight without you realising it," Rossi answered as he let his eyes drift around the room. "Keep things low key and simple because that is exactly what they don't expect you to do."

"This has been moved," Blake pointed out. The magazines on the table lay in a slightly messy pile. "There's no way Emily would leave anything else this untidy. I mean, look at the place."

"JJ's been here." Rossi's place fell. "Whatever Emily had hidden here, JJ will have found it."

Blake walked from the living room to the kitchen and opened some of the cupboards before turning around and seeing the photo of JJ and Emily on the wall. A sad smile spread across her face as she took in the sight of their happiness.

"Dave?" she called. "Come look at this."

Rossi joined her in the kitchen and saw the photo she was looking at. "So much for secrecy."

"Maybe she used it as her focus, to remind her why she did the things she did," Blake answered quietly. "Sometimes it helps to be able to visualise why you make sacrifices." She pointed at the picture. "I think Emily needed this happiness to help her to keep going." There was a pause. "Did you ever suspect anything was going on between them?"

"They were close," Rossi answered. "You saw what happened when Emily returned to help JJ. That's the kind of friendship not everybody has and in that moment, for a little while, I wondered. There were other times, too, of course, but when JJ met Will and had Henry, I just assumed they had made their decisions and their choices."

Blake's phone rang and she answered it after seeing Hotch's name flash across the screen. "Anything new?"

"JJ was Emily's handler. Interpol just confirmed it."

Rossi took a deep breath. "So she knew."

"What does being a handler mean?" Blake wanted to know.

"A handler is the only contact point for an Agent. If they make contact with anyone else outside of the operation it is the handler they speak to. Emily personally requested JJ," Hotch answered. "Apparently the connection was made not long after the events between JJ and Hastings. Emily's code word is Blackbird."

"The same as JJ's," Blake said softly.

"Garcia managed to find the last text message JJ received when she was inside the building," Hotch continued. "Don't ask me how she did it but she traced it. It said "Blackbird" and the message came from an unknown sender. There's no way to trace it."

"Emily," Rossi concluded. "Emily sent her that message."

"So what has she come here to do?" Blake wondered. "Has she come here to find Emily or is she here to finish what Emily started?"

Rossi met the linguist's eyes. "I think you just hit the nail on the head," he said. "JJ's here to do both."

"You think she is going to try and find Emily by getting inside the organisation Emily was investigating?" Blake asked in surprise and Rossi nodded.

"JJ isn't the type to sit around and wait. Interpol wouldn't risk more of their agents to find the ones they've already lost. It was the same back at the FBI when JJ got into trouble. When they feel like they can't do anything, agencies like this just leave their people to die. JJ knows this. She knows that if she doesn't do anything, Emily will die."

"So what do we do?" Blake wanted to know. "How do we find both of them?"

"We profile them," Hotch said on the other side of the line. "We treat them like we would anybody else. We remember the way Emily acted with Doyle and how JJ handled Hastings. If we look deeper into their motivations and their relationship, we will find our answer."

"JJ must have help. Probably inside Interpol," Rossi said and rubbed the back of his head. "Hotch, what was the name of that guy who worked with Emily? The one who led the team that investigated Doyle. He was British."

"Clyde Easter," Hotch answered. "He's the one who got Emily her job at Interpol."

"We need to find him," Rossi replied. "If anyone can get access to Interpol and finding Emily, he's the one."

"Does JJ know this man?" Blake asked and Rossi nodded. "Could he be the one helping her?"

"I'll get Garcia to track him down," Hotch answered. "We'll soon find out."

~()~

The pain in her head was blinding and her muscles burnt as she tried to move. She managed to lift her chin up from her chest and whimpered as the pain spread through her neck and shoulders. The metallic taste of blood lingered in the back of her throat, leaving her to heave. Her eyes were heavy but she fought to open them.

As she did the lift filtered in and she groaned as the pain became sharper. The throbbing in her neck only grew stronger as she tried to look around. She attempted to take in her surroundings through her eyelashes, squinting against the bright light that hung just above her head. The room smelt of paint thinner and glue.

"She's awake," a deep voice growled and before she had a chance to identify the voice or where it came from, someone grabbed her by her hair and yanked her head back. She cried out in pain. "Prentiss is awake."

"Not quite," a second voice commented. "Leave her be. We'll deal with her later."

"But they're saying she's the one behind all of this."

"And I'm saying we'll deal with her later. She ain't gonna tell us shit if she ain't awake!"

The grip on her hair was released and her head fell forward again. Nausea overwhelmed her and she fought against the bile rising in the back of her throat. Through the sickening pain she tried to open her eyes. She attempted to move her arms but they didn't follow her commands. The muscles burnt and strained as she tried to pull and the rope cut into her wrist the more she moved. Her gaze then lowered down, towards her feet. Each foot was tied to the leg of a chair; her hands were bound behind her back.

A sudden panic overwhelmed her and she whipped her head around. Strands of black hair fell into her eyes and tears welled up in her eyes as the pain travelled through her body. The male voices were still talking but she was too tired to focus. She couldn't see their faces. The light shone in her eyes and it blinded her. She slowly lost grip on reality and drifted off into a pool of darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who may not remember: Clyde Easter led the team including Emily as they investigated Doyle. He showed up in season 6 and 7.


	8. Chapter 8

London looked amazing at night. The sky seemed to be filled with an endless sea of lights. The streets were never empty. A tourist city like this didn't know what silence was like. Even now, as the minutes passed and midnight was coming closer, there still were hundreds of people about. Music played from speakers strategically placed across heated outing seating areas and glasses clinked together as people celebrated their reasons for being here.

She'd slept for a total of two hours. Clyde had brought her to her hotel, instructed her to freshen up and get some sleep. He promised he would call her back before ten pm with new information. Leaving him and finding herself alone was hard. It was a reminder she had given up everything to be here. Leaving the BAU the way she had would cost her her job and maybe even her life.

JJ ran her fingers through her hair. She had tied her blonde locks up in a simple yet elegant ponytail. Her blue eyes never stopped scanning her surroundings. The tables around her were all occupied. A group of women seemed to be celebrating somebody's bachelor party. Across from them sat two men, clearly on their first date. A couple of guys behind her were dressed in suits and were talking business. A handful of German tourists had just walked in and taken the last free table.

Clyde had told her he would meet her here at midnight and JJ checked her phone again. Just as the screen lit up, a message came through. She opened it and noticed the sender was unknown. The message was short. "Male. Forties. Brown hair. Goes by the name of Jake. Do NOT make first contact."

JJ's heart skipped a beat and she deleted the message. She put the phone back down, sat up in her chair and picked up her wineglass. The remainder of the burgundy liquid tasted bitter as it trickled down her throat. She then put the glass down and took a deep breath, forcing a sense of calm to fall over her.

The clock struck midnight just as a man fitting the description walked into her line of sight. He seemed to pause briefly outside of the bar, dark eyes searching the outside seating area. When they came to a rest on JJ he walked past the other tables until he reached her. She didn't speak as he pulled up a chair and sat down. His gaze met hers a second time and she knew he was trying to stare her down. She didn't even blink.

The silence between them seemed to last for minutes and when he finally spoke, JJ noticed he didn't speak with a distinct British accent. Years of training told her he was trying to mask it. The accent he used was American but somewhere, somehow she could tell it wasn't true.

"I hear you've got information for me," he said as he leant back in his chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He didn't take his eyes of JJ.

"Perhaps," she answered. Her voice was flat, without even the faintest echo of nerves. She played the scenario Clyde had given her over the phone through her mind. She knew he was here because he believed she ran a weapons group of her own. "I hear you can set me up with what I need."

"My bosses are interested in hearing what you've got to offer."

She leant in and arched an eyebrow. "If that's true then why did they send you?"

He didn't seem taken aback by her sharp answer but the hint of a smile broke through on his stoic face. "I like a woman who stands her ground," he commented. "I am sure you understand that my bosses don't just go out in public to discuss arrangements. You never know who may be watching."

She shrugged. "I guess that depends on how confident you are you're not going to get caught." She gestured around the full seating area. Nobody paid them any attention. "I find I do quite well when it comes to staying below the radar." She smiled and cocked her head. "Now, do we talk here or is there somewhere else you would like to continue this conversation?"

She could tell he was sizing her up. It wasn't unheard of for women to be running big crime organisations. JJ had learnt that the benefit of a woman at the helm was that often people didn't suspect a woman was capable of such calculated and high risks crimes. General opinion was that men were the aggressive sex but women were perhaps even more skilled at not being detected by organisations like Interpol.

"I have a car parked around the corner," the man she knew only as Jake said and stood up.

She didn't move. "I am sure you'll understand that I do not get in cars with strangers." The corners of her lips twitched into a delicate smile. "You can't be too careful. The reason I have been doing well so far is by not trusting anything or anyone other than my own instinct."

For a brief moment he seemed startled.

"I can follow you," JJ said slowly. Thanks to Clyde she now had access to a car. It was parked across the street. It was a shiny black BMW with recent licence plates, and equipped with a built in GPS system that would follow her movements. "But I will not drive with you."

He gave a curd nod. "Very well."

JJ stood up, picked up her handbag and followed the man to the street. He turned to the right as she walked up to her car. She unlocked it, got behind the wheel and put her phone in her lap. She started the engine and waited for the car driven by her new companion to drive past before following him. The moment she pulled away from the car park she hit the dial button on her phone.

"Did you catch that?" she asked.

"Loud and clear," Clyde answered. There was a hint of amusement in his voice. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've done this before."

JJ took a deep breath. "So what's next?"

"Remove the recording device from your clothing. They'll scan you when you arrive. I put a small ear piece in behind the inside door handle of the car. Put it inside your ear. It cannot be detected by scanners. You can't talk to me but I can hear you and talk to you."

JJ reached for the door handle of the car and when she felt behind it, she noticed the little hard piece that seemed out of place. She pulled it out, turned it over in her hand and then carefully put it inside her ear. She pushed it in as far as it went and readjusted her hair so that a couple of strands fell free from her ponytail and covered her ear.

"Good to go?" Clyde asked.

"Yeah," JJ replied and fixed her gaze on the lights of the car in front of her. He was indicating to turn right. The longer they drove, the she realised they were leaving London's busy touristy parts behind and seemed to be heading out of the city.

"Are you tracking my GPS?" she asked. "Where is he taking me?"

"Looks like you're heading for an industrial site," Clyde answered. "Do you have your gun?"

"In my purse, yes," she answered. "I kinda hoped I wouldn't need it."

"It can't hurt to show them who's boss. You did well putting him back in his place but his bosses are going to take more convincing. They just discovered they were infiltrated by Interpol agents. They're frightened and angry and their guard is going to be up and they won't trust you."

"I don't trust them either." JJ grabbed a firmer hold of the wheel as the car in front took a sharp left. The street they were driving down was dark. There were no streetlights. The red taillights of the car in front were the only other thing she could see and it seemed that he had slowed down.

"I gotta go," she said when she closed in on the other car and she hung up. She slowed the car down and drove at the same pace as the one in front. The further they drove down the street, the darker it became.

She noticed buildings on either side of the street. Most of them seemed to be abandoned warehouse buildings. A handful still had signs outside but it was too dark to read the names. The car in front turned left again and disappeared into a narrow alley between two buildings. JJ followed and saw the car had parked a few hundred feet ahead. She pulled up alongside it, leaving a gap big enough to allow herself to run if she had to. She then reached for her purse and her phone, took a deep breath and got out of the car. An unexpected gust of wind took her breath away.

"Charming place you've got here," she pointed out as she looked up at the tall, neglected looking building.

"Boss prefers a quiet place," the man she assumed was named Jake barked. "He wants to see you."

"Next time tell him that I expect to be treated with a little bit more respect than this," JJ snapped. Her eyes darkened and she felt the anger boil in her veins. These men were responsible for Emily's disappearance and she had no doubt that the guy she was taking to right now knew where she was. She had to keep calm if she wanted to have any chance of this working and she bit down on her lip.

Jake shot her a dark look. "Tell him yourself."

He walked up to a set of double wooden slide doors and opened them. It revealed a dark space inside. JJ couldn't see who or what was in there and her heart skipped a beat. She arched an eyebrow and looked at Jake. "What?" she asked. "You expect me to trust you and walk into a dark building without knowing what I'm getting myself into? Tell your boss to meet me out here."

"Tsk," spoke an unfamiliar voice. It belonged to a man and had a very distinct British accent. He clearly wasn't from London. He sounded more Northern. "The lady knows what she's talking about."

JJ's eyes narrowed as she watched a lone figure appear from the darkness. Now that he stepped outside she recognised the face from the photo she had found in Emily's apartment. David Hansen.

"You can't be too careful these days," she reminded him. She cocked her head as she searched his face. He looked older than the picture. The lines around his eyes were deeper. Perhaps the fright of finding four Interpol agents amongst his men had aged him fast.

"You are absolutely right, my dear," Hansen answered. He pressed his fingertips together. "Now, what can I do for you?"

JJ smiled and took a step towards him. "I hear you've got a bit of a problem." She knowingly raised her eyebrows. "I know how to help you and I think you'll like what I've got to say…"

~()~

Across London, Blake's cell phone rang. She'd left it on the side table next to her bed as she took a shower and she appeared with a towel wrapped around her brown hair and clad in a pair of clean black slacks and a simple black sweater. She was about to meet Rossi downstairs to discuss their plan of finding JJ.

She checked the caller ID and frowned when she noticed the number was withheld. She answered. "SSA Blake."

"Special Agent Blake, FBI?" a male voice asked.

"Yes," Blake replied, immediately noting the British accent. "Who's this?"

"An old friend," the man answered. "Although we have never met, I've heard a lot about you."

Blake frowned. "Cut the crap. Who's this?"

"My name is Clyde Easter and I work for Interpol." There was a pause. "I know where you can find Jennifer Jareau."


	9. Chapter 9

Blake had called Rossi before calling Hotch. The two FBI Agents were now standing around her phone, placed on the bedside table. The screen was lit up, with Hotch's name visible.

"What exactly did he say?"

Blake heaved a sigh. Strands of damp brown hair fell down the sides of her face. She'd pushed her hands into her pockets to stop herself from nervously picking at her nails. "He called himself an old friend and said he knows where we can find JJ."

"Clyde Easter is an old friend of Emily's," Hotch said. "Our paths crossed in our search for Doyle and Emily. He led the team that Emily was part of back in the day. He was responsible for her undercover operation involving Doyle. They go back a long way." There was a pause. "I don't think we should be surprised that he is involved in this."

"What do you mean?" Rossi asked.

"At that time, Emily could only trust Easter. She trusted him with her life. When JJ became involved in the operations in Afghanistan, the only person she trusted enough to tell what was happening was Emily. Something tells me we are looking at a three way trust circle here. Easter is the one that connects them. He is the go between. He is JJ's contact in Interpol. I think Emily brought the three of them together when this operation started."

Rossi glanced at Blake. "So why would Easter come to us? Why doesn't he try to bring JJ and Emily back himself?"

"He may not have the resources to do so. If he managed to get JJ inside then this suggests that this option was created some time ago, like a safety net. An operation like this isn't easy to infiltrate. I'm beginning to think that Emily created the opportunity for JJ to follow her if there was a need to."

Hotch's voice was interrupted by Garcia. "I managed to trace the call made to Blake's cell. It came from around the corner of your hotel."

Blake turned away from the phone and slowly walked to the window. She carefully pushed the heavy curtains outside and looked out over the street below. It had started raining and the street was shimmering in the yellow light of the street lamps. Two cars drove past but her attention was drawn to a shadow across the street, appearing to lean against the side of a building. Blake's eyes narrowed.

"I think he's here."

"What?" Rossi turned around too and followed Blake to the window.

"There." She pointed out the shadow of a man without actually pointing. "I think he's seen us."

"He wants us to see him," Rossi commented. "He's been watching us."

"Go to him," came Hotch's voice over the phone. "He called you for a reason. He isn't our unsub. He isn't the man we're looking for. I think he's trying to help and he may very well be our only way of getting to JJ."

The call was disconnected and Blake grabbed the device before slipping it in her pocket. Before leaving the room she opened her safe and removed her gun and badge. She clipped both to her waist and when she met Rossi's questioning eyes she shrugged. "Just a little persuasion," she said. "In case we need it."

"I've met Clyde Easter," Rossi answered slowly. He didn't remember the Interpol Agent with fondness. Easter had proven to be hard work, even in a time where one of his friends was in danger. "You're going to need more than just persuasion to get that guy to talk."

Blake's features hardened. "Don't worry." There was a hollowness to her voice that surprised Rossi and for the first time he got to see the person behind the mask of an FBI Agent. This wasn't SSA Blake talking; this was the voice of Alex he heard. "He'll talk."

They left the room and made their way down to the lobby. As they stepped out of the building, Blake noticed the rain had stopped. The streets were still wet and large puddles of water had formed along the gutter. Her eyes narrowed as they grew used to the darkness outside and she focused on the building where she had seen the shadow. It hadn't moved.

She and Rossi crossed the street and walked for a few metres before reaching the corner. Clyde Easter stepped out of the shadows, clad in a black rain coat. The hint of a smile danced across his face when he saw the two FBI Agents walk towards him.

"Took you long enough," he said and cocked his head before extending his hand to Blake. "Clyde Easter. We haven't met before."

She shook his head. "Cut the crap and tell us what we need to know." Dark eyes met his. "You know where JJ is?"

"Agent Jareau has gotten herself into a precarious situation," Clyde answered. The smile didn't falter and he could sense it infuriated the two people standing in front of him. "It seems she and Agent Prentiss created a collaboration of their own."

"We know that much," Rossi reminded him. "What we're interested in is what you can tell us."

"Have you been to Emily's flat?"

Blake nodded. "It was empty. We didn't find anything."

"Because JJ got there before you did. Emily told her where to find the documents she needed. She brought them to me and asked me to start the plan that Emily had created." Clyde took a deep breath. "When JJ called me and gave me the code word, I realised something had gone wrong and Emily was in trouble. I don't know JJ very well but I know she has a son and it takes a lot for anyone to leave behind their child."

"The code word was Blackbird, right?" Rossi asked and Easter seemed surprised. "We managed to hack into JJ's phone, at least for some part. The word Blackbird was JJ's code word during an operation she was part of in Afghanistan a few months ago. When that operation came back to haunt her in the US, she activated the code word. Only Emily knew this. It seems they kept the code word for each other."

Clyde's eyes narrowed. "This runs deeper than I thought."

"They're married," Blake said and watched the surprise spread across the Interpol Agent's face and she shared a look with Rossi. It seemed they weren't the only ones surprised by this discovery. "You didn't know."

Clyde shook his head. "I didn't. But it explains a lot."

Rossi nodded. "When was the last time you saw JJ?"

"Earlier tonight. I arranged a meeting between her and the man you're looking for."

"David Hansen?" Blake's voice echoed shock. "JJ went to meet Hansen? How?"

"When Emily created this undercover operation, she created several identities for several different Agents. But there was one identity that wasn't meant for any Interpol Agent. She told me it was only to be used in case of an emergency. She didn't say what the emergency was, only that I would know when that moment came. When JJ called me and mentioned the code word, I understood the identity had been created for her."

Blake looked at Rossi. An uneasy feeling had settled in her stomach. "So JJ agreed to this. She was part of this operation?"

"It would appear so. It must be something she and Emily agreed on when this whole thing started. Emily never mentioned JJ by name to me or to anyone else and until she arrived in London and made contact, I didn't know it was her." Clyde shook his head. "But when she mentioned the code word, I knew. I did what Emily asked me to do and I brought JJ into the operation."

"What was the identity that was created for her?"

Blake's mind was racing. If JJ had assumed a different identity, she would no longer be working and operating as an FBI profiler. She would slip effortlessly into her new role, her new life, and it would change the way she thought and acted. It would also change the way they would track her down. They all knew JJ, at least until now they all thought they did, but if she took on another identity in effort to find Emily, she was as much a stranger to them as any unsub they had ever chased. It would make finding her difficult.

"Emily and the others were all small time arms dealers. The identities created for them all belonged to a larger group, an underground cell, if you like. We spent months creating it, making sure there were articles on the news, national and international newspapers, you name it. As far as the public was aware, this group of weapons dealers is real. As real as the one led by David Hansen," said Clyde.

"JJ's their leader," Rossi guessed. "It allowed her to be out of the picture for this long. People in that kind of position don't normally do the dirty work. Emily and the others would do that kind of thing. And when things go south, JJ comes in."

"Exactly."

Blake looked at Clyde. "JJ's been off the grid for almost six months, since the moment she was kidnapped by Hastings. When we ran a background check after she first disappeared, we found nothing. No credit cards, no bank accounts. It was as if her identity had been erased."

"It was," he answered. "Other than when she went to work at the BAU or spent time with her son, JJ Jareau didn't exist anymore. Instead she became..."

"Jennifer Reynolds?" Rossi asked but Clyde shook his head.

"Who's that?"

"It's the name on the passport JJ travelled to London with."

"Reynolds?" Clyde asked and the penny dropped. "Like Lauren?"

Rossi nodded. "So that's not her new identity?"

"No, but it makes sense. JJ wouldn't have flown into the UK using the passport with her new identity. As far as Hansen and his men are concerned, she's been in the UK all this time. Flying in with her new identity would have left a paper trail that could track her back to the US." Clyde sighed. "JJ now lives under the name Samantha Bailey."

"What happened last night?" Blake wanted to know. "Did she meet anyone?"

"She met up with one of Hansen's men. I arranged for a message to be sent to Hansen to let him know that Samantha wanted to talk to him. JJ met with this guy called Jake. Hastings doesn't know but he works for Scotland Yard."

Rossi looked at Clyde. "Does JJ know?"

"That he works for Scotland Yard? Yes, she does. But he doesn't know that she knows. Jake knows JJ is Interpol and is keeping an eye on her. I received confirmation an hour ago that JJ, or Samantha, and Hansen are talking business and she has raised concerns about the welfare of her people. Hastings has denied any involvement but we know he's lying."

"You left her with him?" Blake's eyes widened and she felt herself grow cold at the thought of JJ being alone with this man. "Do you really think he is just going to hand Emily and the others over because JJ asked him to?" She paused for a moment as a few pieces of the puzzle fell into place. She set her jaw as she looked back at the man providing them with information. "What does she have on him?"

"What do you mean?"

"JJ knows something. Either you told her or Emily did before this started. What does she have on this guy that makes you think he'll give her back her people?" Blake insisted. The profiler inside her woke up as she began to analyse the situation and the man in front of her. "The only way she could get a man like Hansen to do what she asks is if she knows something."

"The guy from Scotland Yard." Rossi's jaw dropped and he stared at Clyde in disbelief. "She knows who he is, but he doesn't know she knows. You told JJ to rat him out to get your Agents back. She tells Hansen he has a cop amongst his buddies and he gives her back her people in exchange for the name."

Clyde didn't answer immediately and Blake looked horrified. "Please tell me you're not sacrificing another agency's people to save your own."

Clyde's eyes narrowed. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Rossi's voice was flat. What respect he had for Clyde Easter was gone. "JJ wouldn't do that. She would sell out another person to save somebody else's life?"

"Wouldn't she?" Clyde asked and he reached into his pocket. He took out a piece of paper containing an address and put it in Blake's hand. "Think about it." He started to walk away and turned around one last time before disappearing into the shadows of the night.

"JJ has to choose. Either the guy from Scotland Yard dies, or Emily dies. I think we all know which choice she'll make."


	10. Chapter 10

JJ looked across the dim lit room. Hansen sat across the table, his hands casually folded in his lap. Two of his men stood behind him. A single glance had told JJ that both were armed with two guns, one strapped to their waist and the other to their ankle. She'd noticed the small limp in their step as they entered the room. They were tall and broad shouldered. Their eyes were hollow, as if life itself had been sucked from inside them. She suspected neither of them to be of high intelligence.

Her eyes drifted back to Hansen. They'd sat like this for almost ten minutes without speaking. In this time they had sized each other up. She knew he was looking for something; a sense of fear. She also knew he wouldn't find it. Her training allowed her to keep her face emotionless and her eyes reflected nothing but determination. She didn't shift in her chair or fumble with her hands. She never once took her eyes of him. If she looked away, he knew he'd won.

"So," Hansen finally broke the silence. "What is it you have for me?"

She arched an eyebrow and an amused smile spread across her face. "You think I'm going to give up the goods without hearing your price?" She shook her head. "You first."

"One hundred thousand for the information." Hansen didn't blink but he slowly leant across the table. JJ knew that her poker face had triggered his curiosity. "I'll triple it if it's true and you've got yourself a deal if you can show me the produce."

She didn't answer immediately as she took a moment to line up the thoughts inside her head. The information Clyde had given her was valuable to Hansen. Clyde counted on the fact that Hansen would be willing to pay whatever price to hear what she had to say. But there was another side to this story. A darker side, one she had tried not to face until this moment. Now it was here, right in front of her, staring her in the face.

"Deal," JJ said. Her voice was flat.

Hansen shared a rare smile. "Very well."

He briefly looked over his shoulder to the men watching them and gave a quick jerk with his head to tell them it was time to leave. The men turned around and left the small room. The hollow click of the door closing behind them sent a shiver down JJ's spine. There was no way back.

"I've been made aware of your little problem, shall we say," JJ began. She added the taunt at the last minute and noticed the flash of anger behind Hansen's eyes. "What were you thinking, letting Interpol Agents in amongst your men?" She gave a hollow laugh. "Or Scotland Yard."

Hansen's eyes widened. "What?!"

"That's my information," JJ grinned. The combination of shock and horror etched across Hansen's face was a delight to her even though deep down she knew what revealing this information would mean. Another person's life now lay in her hands and it was now up to her to decide their destiny. "You've got yourself another mole."

The words rolled of her tongue so easily that it frightened her. Even though her face showed no emotion, JJ recognised the demon within, the demon she had become. She had reached the point of no return; the point where she was willing to sell a man's life to save Emily. It seemed that love had broken all the rules. There was no way back from here. Her life as she had known it was over.

"How do you know this?" Hansen demanded to know. "Who told you? Who is it?!"

JJ didn't move. "I'll answer your questions," she replied slowly, keeping her voice still and emotionless. "But not until you give me something in return."

"I'll get you your money!" Hansen became agitated.

"I don't care about the money," JJ answered and she noticed the way the vein next to Hansen's eye began to throb. A nervous tell. The sign of a man who realised his back was forced against the wall and JJ was the one holding all the cards. "But there is something else I want you to give me."

His frustration over having been infiltrated not once but twice took over. Redness flushed his veins as anger settled in. Hansen's pupils dilated and her breathing became laboured and shallow. His hands now lay flat on the table but JJ noticed the small twitch in his fingers. He was clinging on, in a desperate attempt not to show her just how much she got to him.

"Name your price."

"I want one of the Interpol spies."

He blinked. "What?"

"I want one of the Interpol spies." JJ face was blank. No tells, no nervous twitches. The face of an Ice Queen, the face of a woman who had looked evil in the eye more times than she could remember. Fear was only a word.

"Why?" Suspicion entered Hansen's voice. "What do you want with them?"

She chuckled. "The same thing you want. Use them. You're not the only one running an organisation, remember? If I contact Interpol to tell them I have one of their Agents, they'll do whatever I say. I'm pretty sure the life of their Agent is valuable enough to stay out of my way for a little while. "She cocked her head, noticing the way Hansen's eyes darkened with anger. "Or I could just kill them and dump their body in the Thames, I suppose, but then they are worth nothing to me and Interpol will just chase me for the rest of my life." She paused. "You know what that's like."

"Say I hand one of them over, who's to say you won't turn around and sell my entire crew out to the police?" Hansen asked.

"You're worried about what I'll do?" JJ grinned. "May I remind you about the Scotland Yard officer currently mingling with your crew? I don't think it's me you should be worrying about." She shrugged and pushed her chair backwards. "If you're not interested then our deal ends here. I'll leave it up to you to find out which one of your men is betraying you behind your back."

She stood up and started for the door through which Hansen's two oversized bodyguards had disappeared through moments earlier. The sound of her heels clicked across the stone floor and echoed off the walls. She was about to close her hands around the door handle when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder and she was forced to spin around. Hansen slammed her with her back against the door and blazing, hateful eyes pierced into hers.

"I worked too long for this thing to fall apart," he grunted. His breath reeked of stale cigarettes and expensive whiskey. "Talk."

JJ pushed his hand away and gave him a cold stare. "You might want to reconsider your manners. This might work on some your minions out there..." She pointed at the rough hand that had kept her in place. "But it doesn't work on me."

He looked almost sheepish as he apologised. "Sorry."

She walked back to the table and sank back into her chair. "Now," JJ said sweetly as she leant across the table. "About those Interpol Agents…"

"Which one do you want?"

"The girl."

"Prentiss?"

JJ's heart jolted in her chest when Hansen spoke Emily's last name. it showed that he knew more than just the fact that Emily was an Interpol Agent. He knew her last name. it meant he could have tracked her, tracked both of them, if he had looked deep enough. "She's the ringleader. What do you want with her?"

"Like you said, she's the ringleader. They value her more than the others. I want her so I can use her. I have my sources inside Interpol. They tell me that they're frantically looking for them, but Prentiss especially. If they find her and trace her back to you, you can kiss your ass goodbye for the rest of your life." She pressed her fingertips together. "Prentiss for the name of the mole. You give me Prentiss and your organisation survives."

Hansen studied JJ for the longest time. Never before had he encountered a woman who was his equal in every way. JJ seemed was ruthless and cold as he was, with no regard for the fact that the man she was about to name would be dead before dawn. All she cared about was herself and getting ahead in this world, the same way he lived his life. In a business like this, it was every man for himself. Deals were necessary but trust needed to be earned and most people in this line of work trusted no one. He was no different and from the way JJ looked at him, he could tell she didn't trust him either.

"Deal." He sounded solemn. "You get the girl, I get the name."

"Take me to her," JJ insisted. "You get your name once I see you haven't messed with her." A devious glint filled her eyes. "You didn't think I was just going to take your word for it, did you? Take me to her and you get your man."

Hansen slowly stood up and walked to the door. JJ felt her heart pounding in her throat and for the first time since arriving she heard the whisper of Clyde's voice in her ear. Until this moment she had forgotten about the small implant she had put inside her ear while driving here. Clyde hadn't spoken a word since she entered the building but now that Hansen left, she heard him.

"Once you have Prentiss, you leave and don't look back. Whatever else happens here tonight has nothing to do with you. You got what you came here for, JJ. That's all that matters."

She looked down at her hands but didn't speak. Her mind was empty other than the thought of Emily and the cost of saving her. Somewhere in London a family would wake up tomorrow morning to find a husband or a father would never come home again. Some would say it was the danger of working undercover. Others would know that she gambled with his life to find what she came here for. All was fair in love and war. There were no rules. There would be no questions.

Footsteps approached and JJ looked up. Hansen appeared in the doorway. Behind him stood one of his bodyguards but it was the person next to the bodyguard that drew JJ's attention and the pieces of her heart shattered in her chest.

Emily looked pale. The colour had drained from her face and there were deep, dark rings around her eyes. She stared at the floor, unable or unwilling to look up. Her clothes were stained with unidentifiable marks. Some looked like dried blood, others like motor oil. Strands of raven hair fell into her eyes, having jumped free from the ponytail that once held them under control. A large, deep purple bruise covered her right eye almost all the way down to her jaw. A swollen cut desecrated her lip.

"Satisfied?" Hansen questioned as he noticed the way JJ's blue eyes trailed over Emily Prentiss' slender frame. "She's alive, just a little unfocused."

"No permanent damage?" JJ questioned. She was surprised by the emptiness of her voice. "The bruise?"

"It'll heal. In a few days' time she'll be as good as new," Hansen grinned. "We just had to teach her that nobody messes with us. The rest of her men are in worse shape. They offered to take the blows."

Because they know that Emily is Interpol's main interest, JJ thought. Every Agent is prepared to defend and protect their superior because the knowledge they hold is far greater and far more sensitive than what they know. Protecting Emily was like protecting Britain. The men had done their duty, even though she knew Emily would never see it that way.

JJ slowly stood up and blue eyes held Hansen's gaze. "You have your deal."

He gave a short nod and held the door for her as she stepped outside. The bodyguard followed, dragging Emily's body along with him until they reached the doors through which JJ had entered earlier. She turned around after unlocking the car. The headlights came on and lit up the inside of the industrial space.

"You found yourself a new partner," JJ said as she reached out her hand to Hansen.

Hansen beckoned one of his men over his shoulder and a tall, thin dark haired boy, no older than eighteen, approached. He carried a black sports bag and dropped it at JJ's feet. At Hansen's silent command he unzipped it and revealed its content. JJ's eyes briefly snapped down before looking back up at Hansen.

"Three hundred thousand," he said.

JJ picked up the bag and flung it over her shoulder. "Put her in the car," she told the bodyguard.

He dragged Emily to the vehicle and opened the backdoor. He lay her down across the backseat before slamming the door and joining Hansen. The tension in the room shifted as JJ's eyes drifted across the large open space. Her gaze fixed briefly on the man who had brought her here tonight. He didn't meet her eyes and JJ heaved a sigh.

"He's your man."

She turned around and walked to the car. She dropped the bag full of cash on the passenger seat and climbed behind the wheel. As she slammed the door and turned the engine, she heard Clyde's voice in her ear. He was the echo she tried to ignore, the one thing that reminded her of what she had done.

"Just drive," he told her. "Drive!"

JJ put the car in reverse and cast a quick glance at the unconscious Emily in the backseat. The dark haired woman didn't open her eyes. JJ's heart ached but the relief of finally having found Emily dulled some of the pain she felt inside. The car turned and JJ heaved a sigh as she hit the gas.

A cold shill crept down her spine when she heard the single sound of a gunshot but she never looked back.


	11. Chapter 11

The hotel room was dark when she opened her eyes. Her head was pounding and her body ached all over. The back of her throat was dry and tasted like three day old Chinese takeout that had been left out of the fridge. A sharp pain shot through her head as she attempted to sit up, the muscles in her arms burning as they supported her weight.  
The bed she was lying on was soft and comfortable. The sheets loosely covered her body and they smelt fresh and clean, like they had been washed only hours earlier. The room was quiet and the darkness allowed her to open her eyes fully without feeling the pain of blinding light. As she sat up she felt a weight shift at the end of the bed, followed by a very soft, quiet thud of feet touching the floor. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Emily?”

Her senses went into overdrive as her brain registered the voice. It couldn’t be.

“JJ?”

The mattress sank down as more weight was added to it. “Oh, thank God.”

Through the darkness Emily finally managed to make out a blurred shape of another person and the longer she looked, the sharper JJ’s face became. Weary blue eyes looked at her from the shadows, her blonde hair falling down her shoulders and framing her delicate face. Before Emily had a chance to speak she felt JJ’s hands search for hers and it wasn’t until their fingers touched that she believed she wasn’t dreaming; this was real.

“JJ!”

Somehow she managed to throw her arms around JJ’s neck without falling out of the bed. She pulled JJ towards her, burying her face into the blonde hair as she inhaled he familiar scent of JJ’s body. To feel her, to hold her close, was better than she ever could have imagined and as she rested her head against JJ’s shoulder, she became aware of her heartbeat racing away in her chest. It only slowed when JJ wrapped her arms around Emily’s back and protectively pulled her close.

“I knew you’d come,” Emily whispered, her words almost getting lost in JJ’s ear. It hurt to speak. Her throat was dry and her face and her head hurt. “I knew you’d find me.”  
“Blackbird,” JJ quietly said and let her fingers run through Emily’s hair. It was dry and brittle and caked with blood. She softly placed a kiss somewhere on Emily’s neck. Tears burnt behind her eyes as the relief that they were finally together, that this nightmare was finally over, kicked in. “I was always going to find you.”

Emily slowly pulled back until she could look into JJ’s eyes. “What happened?”

“It can wait,” JJ reassured her and cupped Emily’s cheek with her hand. She was careful not to apply too much pressure, knowing that the bruise on Emily’s face was painful. All she wanted was for Emily to get better, to move on from the nightmare their lives had turned into. “Right now I need you to get some rest, get some sleep. There’s a lot to talk about but it can wait till the morning.”

Emily’s tired brown eyes never let go of JJ’s blue. “Stay with me?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

Emily lay herself back down onto the bed and waited until JJ lay down beside her. For a few seconds neither of them moved, as if they needed a moment to remember what the moments they had shared together had been like before they were torn apart, but then Emily rolled onto her side and rested her head against JJ’s chest. JJ’s arm found its way around Emily’s shoulders as she pulled the raven haired woman closer. She tenderly kissed her on her forehead.

“Sleep, Emily,” she breathed. “Everything’s going to be allright.”

~()~

Blake looked around the warehouse. Bright lights, cast from the headlights of half a dozen police cars, lit up the large open space. Her gaze was focused on the dark red pool of blood on the floor. The body had been removed an hour ago. What remained was the blood that had poured from the single gunshot to the man’s head. He’d never even seen his death coming.

Easter had informed all the authorities involved about Hansen’s whereabouts not long after JJ and Emily left. Interpol, Scotland Yard and the Metropolitan Police had descended on the warehouse and arrested all those present, including Hansen himself. He barely had time to respond when his hands were cuffed behind his back. The officer that searched him found the gun he’d used to shoot the other guy in his back pocket. He could still smell the gunpowder.

As she stared at the blood, Blake felt a heavy weight rest on her shoulders. She only looked up when she heard Rossi approach and he put a hand on her shoulder. “Scotland Yard says everyone’s accounted for.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Their Agent,” Rossi clarified. “He’s alive.”

“Alive?” Blake looked back at the blood on the floor. “But who did Hansen shoot?”

“One of his own men,” Rossi answered.

He followed Blake’s gaze and stared at the pool of blood. They’d encountered far worse crime scenes than this but there was something about entering this one that had chilled them both to the bone. This had happened because of a decision JJ made. There would be no going back from this.

Blake’s voice was flat. “I don’t understand.”

“JJ pointed out one of Hansen’s own men instead of the Scotland Yard undercover agent,” Rossi answered. “She never intended to have the undercover killed. She must have had this planned ever since Clyde told her which of the guys worked for Scotland Yard. He may have been prepared to sacrifice the life of another agent but she wasn’t.”

Blake slowly released her breath as the burden that had been resting on her began to slip away. “So the agent gets to go home to his family tonight,” she said softly. “What about the other Interpol Agents? Has Hansen told anyone where they are yet?”

“They’re searching the building but they can’t be far. Clyde said that he handed Emily over when JJ asked for her. He must be keeping them somewhere around here.”

“So JJ’s got Emily.”

“They left almost two hours ago. Clyde hasn’t been able to track either one of them since. The car JJ was driving was found abandoned and she hasn’t checked back in to her hotel. Her phone is switched off. Interpol is looking for both of them but we know that if JJ doesn’t want to be found…”

Blake slowly turned towards Rossi. “They’re safe, that’s what matters,” she concluded. She looked tired and for the first time Rossi noticed the dark rings around the linguist’s eyes. “Maybe it would be better if they weren’t found, Dave.”

He cocked his head. “What are you saying, Alex?”

“I’m saying this has gone on long enough.” She cast one last glance at the blood before she turned around and began walking away. “Maybe it’s time everyone just moved on.”

~()~

  
JJ woke when she felt the sun on her face. She blinked against the brightness of the room before becoming aware of the body lying beside her. She turned her head and found Emily still asleep, her head still resting against JJ’s shoulder and her arm draped across the blonde profiler’s stomach. JJ let out a sigh as she finally got to see the extent of Emily’s bruising in the light of day and resisted touching her, afraid she would wake her.

“Hey.” Emily’s voice was groggy and she slowly opened her eyes, aware that JJ was looking at her.

JJ’s lips curled up into a smile. “Hi.”

“You look like hell,” Emily commented.

“You don’t look too good yourself.”

“Where are we?” Emily wanted to know.

“London,” JJ replied. “For now, anyway.”

“We’re going back, aren’t we?”

Emily knew JJ well enough to know that she wanted to walk away from all of this. The life they had lived until now had finally broken, the pieces lay shattered on the ground. It had been almost impossible to keep up. The lies, the deceit, it would come to haunt them in the end and it had. A life of lies was impossible to live and here they were, suffering the aftermath of their own choices, knowing they would have to face what they had left behind in the US eventually.

“We don’t have a choice,” JJ whispered. The look in her eyes was distant. “I still have Henry and I owe the team an explanation. I know they’ve been tracking me ever since I got here. They were looking for me, for you. They didn’t have to come but they did. They deserve to know.”

Emily looked up at JJ. “Who’s here?”

“Blake and Rossi.” JJ couldn’t help but smile at the thought of her friends coming out to London to find her, even if they hadn’t been able to do anything at all to help her. “I don’t know if they know I figured out they’re here.”

“How much do they know?”

“Everything, I expect. Everything we’ve allowed them to know, anyway. The kind of things that if you dig deep enough and connect the pieces, you’ll find your answers. I think when we see them all we have to tell them is ‘why’.” JJ’s eyes found Emily’s. “And that will be the most difficult question of all.”

“What did you do?” Emily’s question was unexpected and caught JJ off guard. There was an alertness to her eyes that until now had been absent. “I know Hansen. He would never have handed me over to you if he didn’t believe you had something he could benefit from. What did you tell him?”

“Clyde Easter told me that aside from the four Interpol Agents, there was also an undercover Scotland Yard operation ongoing,” JJ said softly. She looked down at her hands, suddenly unable to look Emily in the eye. The memory of standing in front of Hansen, the bag of money at her feet and Emily safely in the car flooded back into her mind. A moment that balanced between life and death. “I made a deal with Hansen; in exchange for the name of the remaining undercover agent, he would give me you.”

“JJ….” Emily looked at JJ in horror. She had a faint memory of hearing a single gunshot. “Oh, JJ, please tell me you didn’t…”

JJ swallowed. “Clyde was prepared to,” she admitted. “I don’t think he cared who died as long as it meant I would bring you home safely.” She peered at Emily through her eyelashes. The fear and worry etched across the other woman’s face only affirmed her belief that what she had done was right, in some ways. “I couldn’t do it.”

“What?”

“I couldn’t let an innocent man die. Clyde outed the Scotland Yard agent to me. But I couldn’t…” Tears constricted JJ’s voice. “I couldn’t let him die.”

“But the gunshot…”

“I pointed at one of Hansen’s own men.”

Emily stared at her but didn’t speak. JJ could feel the tension in the room rise. They had reached a cross roads.

“Hansen was so obsessed with whoever else had infiltrated his organisation, he would have believed me if I told him the Easter Bunny was real,” JJ answered. She swallowed hard. “I didn’t have a choice, Emily. He wanted a name in exchange for your release. He wasn’t going to let you go. I did what I had to do. I pointed at one of Hansen’s own men and because of that, the Scotland Yard agent gets to kiss his kids goodnight. I didn’t have a choice, Em. I did what I had to do.”

“I know.”

JJ slowly looked up. Emily was looking at her. There was sadness in her eyes but behind that JJ could see the relief. She took a deep breath and moved closer to Emily. “A man died because of the decision I made.”

“A bad man, JJ. Like you said, you did what you had to do to get me back. Nobody’s going to hold that against you,” Emily whispered into her ear. “And when we get home, I’m sure they’ll understand why we couldn’t tell them.”

“Do you think we can go back to how things used to be?”

“How things used to be?” Emily pressed a soft kiss against JJ’s cheek. “JJ, I don’t know how things used to be. You and I never had a normal life. So we don’t go back to how things were before. We can’t. All that was built around lies. We go back to a new start. Something to look forward to.” Her hand found JJ’s. “A new life.”

They lay like this for a little while, only talking every so often. It was each other’s company and the realisation their life of secrets was behind them that they craved the most. When after an hour Emily got up to go and take a shower, JJ climbed out of bed and walked across the room. Her phone lay on the small desk and her hands trembled when she picked it up and switched it on. She smiled to herself when half a dozen text messages sent by Garcia appeared on her screen.

She didn’t open them but instead scrolled through her contacts until she found the number she was looking for. She pressed the button and waited with baited breath until a familiar voice answered on the other side of the line.

“JJ.” She could hear the relief in his voice. “Where are you?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she replied, a smile spreading across her face as she heard the shower switching on in the bathroom followed by Emily softly humming to herself. “We’re coming home, Hotch.”


	12. Chapter 12

Going home.

The words sounded so simple but there was nothing simple about what they were about to do. Boarding the flight to Washington D.C at London’s Heathrow Airport, JJ felt her heart hammer in her throat as she handed her passport over to the flight attendant. She took a single glance at the photo and the name on the passport before scanning it. The name Jennifer Reynolds flashed across the screen. She handed JJ her passport back without even making eye contact.

Emily’s passport was scanned next and the name Emily Reynolds flashed up just after JJ’s. If the woman was curious about Emily’s bruised face, she didn’t show it and she handed Emily back her passport with just the faintest hint of a smile. They had decided to travel under fake passports one last time before leaving their secret lives behind them. Once they’d arrive at Dulles, the lives they had led would forever be behind them.

“Should we have waited for Blake and Rossi?” JJ asked as they made their way down the tunnel towards the plane.

“They’re on a different flight. They don’t leave till this afternoon. They should arrive at Dulles a few hours after we do.” Emily answered. When JJ cast her a curious look she just grinned. “Listen, I may have left Interpol, but I still have friends. I asked my secretary to check their flights.”

They reached the plane and showed the male flight attendant standing in the doorway their ticket. He pointed into the direction of first class and JJ and Emily found their way to their seats. Once they had stored their hand luggage and sat down, JJ reached over to take Emily’s hand into her own.

“Hotch filled them in on everything,” she said. “They know we’re leaving London before they do.” She swallowed. She couldn’t surpass the guilt the felt inside. She didn’t know what was waiting for them when they came home. “What are we going to do when we get back, Emily?”

Emily hesitated. As tempting as it was to just disappear once they got off the plane, she knew they would have the face the broken pieces of the lives they’d left behind. She knew JJ would never leave again without Henry. She briefly let her eyes wander around the first class cabin. Most of the seats were empty.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I guess we talk to Hotch and then we’ll see.” Her brown eyes found JJ’s blue. “But if your future no longer lies with the BAU then I know we can find another way of making this work, Jennifer. We will find a way to finally live a normal life.”

JJ couldn’t help but chuckle. “I don’t think I remember what normal is.”

Emily merely looked at the blonde. The more she looked at her, the more she realised what it was they had done for each other. They had gone halfway around the world to find each other, to save the other’s life. A single word had brought them to each other’s side and although what they had shared always been a secret to protect the both of them, now they no longer had to and Emily was looking forward to a life where she could just take JJ’s hand without having to second guess herself. They wouldn’t be separated by thousands of miles or secret lives; they could simply wake up in the same bed every morning and Emily would get to see JJ smile.

The sign for them to fasten their seatbelts came on and they clicked their belts into place as the plane’s engines began to roar. As the big metal bird taxied its way across the runway, slowly moving further away from London, Emily felt herself slowly relax. She looked at JJ’s hand still holding hers, their wedding bands sitting neatly around their fingers. They were going home. Together.

~()~

A long flight and some much needed sleep later, the plane touched down at Dulles International airport and Emily and JJ joined the steady flow of passengers leaving the flight. They found their way to the passport control and after having been checked by the border security, they were allowed to go and fetch their luggage.   
JJ hailed a cab outside the airport’s arrivals lounge, put her suitcase and Emily’s into the trunk and then climbed into the backseat. She gave the driver her address and then leant back. She didn’t speak as she watched the familiar scenery of Washington D.C flash by outside her window. She had driven down these streets many times, carrying shadows around with her. She had lived her life here, the kind of life she had always longed for, before losing it to secrets and lies. But now she was back and she got another chance to rebuild what she herself had destroyed.

“So nobody knew where you lived?” Emily asked when they pulled up outside a relatively new yet modest looking apartment building and the driver helped them unload their suitcases.

JJ paid the driver and shook her head. “After I moved out, I begged Will never to tell anyone. After everything I went through with Martinez and Hastings, I think he understood. He even allowed me to pick up Henry and drop him off, so Will would never have to come here.” She looked up at the building. “It isn’t perfect but it was safe.”

“We don’t have to stay here, you know,” Emily said as they walked to the front door. “We can find somewhere else.”

“I know,” JJ said and opened the building’s front door. She crossed the small lobby to the elevator and pressed the button. The door opened and the two women stepped inside. JJ pressed the number four and she watched as the doors slid shut. “I don’t want to stay here any longer than I have to.”

They stepped out of the elevator on the fourth floor and Emily followed JJ down the brightly lit corridor. They reached the door at the far right and JJ found her keys in the front of the suitcase. She held her breath as she stuck the key into the lock and turned it. The soft familiar ‘click’ made her exhale and she opened the door. The room was bathing in sunlight and JJ’s eyes fluttered shut.

Emily let her eyes wander around the apartment. It was a good size, with a fully fitted kitchen complete with every appliance a person could need. The living room was bright and spacious with a large window allowing for lots of light. The furniture looked nice but functional and Emily put a hand on JJ;s shoulder. “At least they looked after you.”

“I know,” JJ agreed and left her suitcase in the kitchen as she walked into the livingroom. “When Interpol decided I would work alongside them, they set this place up for me. Not quite my style but everything works.”

“Does this place have a bathroom?” Emily asked. “That flight has left me feeling like my clothes are glued to my skin.”

JJ grinned. “Second door on your right. There are towels in the cupboard.”

Emily crossed the room but instead of following JJ’s direction to the bathroom, she wrapped her arms around the blonde and pulled her close. Her lips were close to JJ’s ear and she whispered; “We’re home. Why don’t you come with me?”

A throaty chuckle escaped JJ when she felt Emily’s fingers creep up along the hem of her shirt and when blue eyes met brown she recognised the hunger. It was the same hunger she felt and she didn’t waste time for her lips to find Emily’s as they slowly managed to find their way down the hall towards the bathroom.

~()~

Darkness had fallen by the time they’d gotten dressed. JJ’s hair was still damp and she buttoned up her shirt as she walked into the living room. She found Emily lying on the couch, eyes fixed on the TV. She was watching the 6 o’clock CNN news but looked up when JJ walked into the room.

“You ready?” JJ wanted to know. “I just texted Hotch saying we’re on our way. He said Blake and Rossi arrived two hours ago.”

Emily slowly sat up and brushed the creases out of her crisp, clean white jumper. She was dressed in black slacks with simple yet elegant black boots and had bound her black hair into a loose ponytail. She nodded as she picked up her handbag. Although her face didn’t show it, the echo in her voice betrayed her nerves as she said, “I guess we might as well go and face the music.”

They walked out of the apartment together and JJ locked up. They then rode the elevator down to the lobby and JJ walked to the parking lot. She unlocked the black SUV parked in the spot closest to the door and climbed behind the wheel as Emily got into the passenger seat. As she buckled up the radio switched on automatically and provided them with the latest hits. JJ reached for the button to switch it off and after she reversed the car, they drove to Quantico in silence.

Parking up outside the building was something JJ was familiar with. She picked her usual spot without realising it and got out of the car. Emily followed, her brown eyes fixed on the building where she had worked for many years. Being back here felt strange but not wrong. She reached for JJ’s hand as they made their way towards the staff entrance and JJ swiped her key card for the door to open.

The journey in the elevator to the BAU seemed to take forever and JJ wondered for a brief moment if her heart could burst from her chest. It was beating so fast and so loud that it felt it was about to break free from its restraints. When the doors finally slid open and revealed the department ahead of them, it was Emily who squeezed her hand to persuade her to step out of the elevator. JJ took a deep breath and took the final step.

They had barely opened the doors leading to the bullpen or a figure came running towards them. A flash of bright pink and lime green and a familiar perfume scent hit them as strong arms were wrapped around their necks. Their bodies were pressed against Penelope Garcia’s frame without the technical analyst caring about whether they could breathe or not.

“The next time you two go off to do something foolishly crazy, I want you to tell me so I can kick your ass so hard you’ll regret ever thinking about it in the first place,” Garcia said.

“Penelope, if you don’t let go of us within the next ten seconds, Emily and I are not going to be able to do anything for the rest of our lives, foolish or otherwise,” JJ grinned into the embrace and Garcia quickly stepped away from them. JJ could see the tears glisten behind Garcia’s neon pink glasses and she smiled. “I’ve missed you.”  
“I’ve missed you too,” Garcia said before looking at Emily. “And you too!”

“We’re so sorry,” Emily began. “We didn’t think any of this was going to happen!”

“But it did.”

It was Hotch and the two women slowly looked up as his voice registered. His face looked hard and JJ could see the rings around his eyes. The last few days seemed to have aged him beyond his years. To see the disappointment etched across his face as he looked at her hurt perhaps the most of all and she couldn’t find the right words to say to him.  
It was Emily who spoke first. “Hotch, I know there aren’t any words that I can say that can make right what we’ve done wrong but I just hope that…”

He raised his hand and she fell silent. “You have both broken many rules because of this operation. Emily, you endangered the reputation and integrity of the BAU when you allowed Interpol to recruit JJ and JJ, you ignored the value of this team and what it means to be an FBI Agent.” There was a pause. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t understand why either of you two did the things you did.” He paused for a second time. “And if it were me, I probably would have done the same thing.” He slowly stepped aside to reveal the rest of the team standing around JJ’s desk. “I think there are some people here who would like to say hello.”

Wrapping their arms around their friends and hearing their words of kindness erased the feeling of dread that had settled in their stomachs. To feel surrounded by love and understanding as well as acceptance erased some of the pain caused by the journey they had been on.

“I wish you would have told us,” Morgan said as he inspected the wedding ring on Emily’s hand. “I would have walked you down the aisle with pride.”

“I know, Morgan,” Emily answered. “I know.”

“So where does this leave us?” JJ asked Hotch when he pulled her aside. Her teeth briefly worried her bottom lip. It was the one question she wanted to have answered before going home later tonight. “Work wise, I mean? I’d understand if you said that after everything that happened, it would be best if I don’t work for the BAU anymore.”

There was a twinkle in Hotch’s eyes. “Well, this team does function better as a whole group and since I’m acting Unit Chief while they’re looking for Martinez’s replacement, I don’t see why we can’t work out some kind of way that will see you take your place within the team the same way you always have.”

“And Emily?”

“It can never hurt to have someone on the team who speaks several different languages,” Hotch added with a smile. “And she plays better chess than you do. Reid will be happy to have her back because I don’t think he coped very well when Blake beat him a couple of weeks ago.”

“Blake beat Reid?” JJ arched an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?”

He shook his head. “I can find a place for Emily, JJ. She’ll have to retake most of her training and so do you but I can create space to accommodate you both. I am not letting two talented profilers go.” Hotch’s eyes found hers. “But you have to promise me that from now on you two both play by the rules.” The tone of his voice changed a little. It became sterner. “No more indiscretions, ok? This ends here.”

“Yes,” JJ answered as she found Emily’s eyes across the room and smiled at the sight of her laughing at one of Rossi’s jokes. It was over. “Yes, it does.”

They were home.


End file.
